In vivo corticosterone administration at levels occurring with intense exercise does not induce intestinal lymphocyte apoptosis in mice.

Intestinal lymphocyte apoptosis can occur following physiological and pathophysiological stress as well as exhaustive exercise. In this study we investigated whether corticosterone (CORT) administration at physiological concentrations observed following strenuous exercise induces intestinal lymphocyte apoptosis and cell loss in mice. CORT injection (14 mg/kg; i.p.) caused a four-fold increase in plasma CORT concentrations, but did not affect intestinal lymphocyte cell loss or alter baseline intestinal lymphocyte apoptosis, as measured by phosphatidylserine externalization, cell viability, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, caspase 3, Bcl-2 and cytosolic cytochrome c protein levels. These findings indicate that CORT at levels observed following strenuous exercise is not involved in intestinal lymphocyte apoptosis and cell loss.