I.E. da Cruz Jung, T. Duarte, I.B.M. da Cruz, B.O.Turra, B. Chitolina, J.R. Motta, M.A.E. Montano, V.F.Azzolin, E.E. Ribeiro, M.M.M.F. Duarte, F. Barbisan
Published: May 27, 2020
Genet. Mol. Res. 19(2): GMR18586
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/gmr18586
Cite this Article:
I.Eda Cruz Jung, T. Duarte, I.B.M. da Cruz, B. .O.Turra, B. Chitolina, J.R. Motta, M.A.E. Montano, V. .F.Azzolin, E.E. Ribeiro, M.M.M.F. Duarte, F. Barbisan (2020). Val16Ala-SOD2 polymorphism modulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis molecules and BDNF levels in healthy adults under no psychological stress. Genet. Mol. Res. 19(2): GMR18586. https://doi.org/10.4238/gmr18586
About the Authors
I.E. da Cruz Jung, T. Duarte, I.B.M. da Cruz, B.O.Turra, B. Chitolina, J.R. Motta, M.A.E. Montano, V.F.Azzolin, E.E. Ribeiro, M.M.M.F. Duarte, F. Barbisan
Corresponding Author
F. Barbisan
Email: fernandabarbisan@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Chronic psychological stress alters the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-axis), triggering chronic oxidative-inflammatory states that are associated with physical and psychiatric conditions. However, it is not clear if basal oxidative-inflammatory states triggered by genetic variation affect the HPA-axis by altering cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels. Humans have a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) found in manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (Val16Ala-SOD2, rs4880), which has two alleles (V and A) which affect the basal efficacy of SOD2 antioxidant enzyme in the mitochondria. The VV-genotype, which presents low SOD2-efficacy, has been associated with chronic inflammatory states, as well as higher risk of depression and self-reported psychological stress. Therefore, basal oxidative imbalance could have some influence on modulation of HPA-axis physiology. We tested this hypothesis comparing morning blood levels of cortisol, ACTH and DHEA-S and other biochemical markers in 90 healthy adult university students previously genotyped for the SOD2-SNP (30 volunteers for each genotype, 26.5 ± 8.7 years old). Only volunteers who self-reported no perception of psychological stress were included in the study. The VV group had higher morning cortisol and ACTH, and lower DHEA-S and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) than A-allele subjects. These results indicate some influence of S-imbalance on modulation of this molecule. Therefore, we suggest that genetically controlled pro-oxidative and inflammatory states could modulate physiological markers for stress and neurogenesis.
Keywords: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Adrenocorticotropic hormone, Antioxidant enzyme, Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, Oxidative stress, Psychiatric diseases.