Vegiopoulos Alexandros, Herzig Stephan
Molecular Metabolic Control, German Cancer Research Center Heidelberg, Germany.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2007 Sep 15;275(1-2):43-61. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2007.05.015. Epub 2007 Jun 2.
Since the discovery of the beneficial effects of adrenocortical extracts for treating adrenal insufficiency more than 80 years ago, glucocorticoids (GC) and their cognate, intracellular receptor, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) have been characterized as critical components of the delicate hormonal control system that determines energy homeostasis in mammals. Whereas physiological levels of GCs are required for proper metabolic control, excessive GC action has been tied to a variety of pandemic metabolic diseases, such as type II diabetes and obesity. Highlighted by its importance for human health, the investigation of molecular mechanisms of GC/GR action has become a major focus in biomedical research. In particular, the understanding of tissue-specific functions of the GC-GR pathway has been proven to be of substantial value for the identification of novel therapeutic options in the treatment of severe metabolic disorders. Therefore, this review focuses on the role of the GC-GR axis for metabolic homeostasis and dysregulation, emphasizing tissue-specific functions of GCs in the control of energy metabolism.
80多年前发现肾上腺皮质提取物对治疗肾上腺功能不全有益以来，糖皮质激素（GC）及其同源的细胞内受体——糖皮质激素受体（GR）已被确定为决定哺乳动物能量稳态的精细激素控制系统的关键组成部分。虽然适当的代谢控制需要生理水平的GC，但GC的过度作用与多种流行的代谢性疾病有关，如II型糖尿病和肥胖症。由于其对人类健康的重要性，对GC/GR作用分子机制的研究已成为生物医学研究的主要焦点。特别是，已证明了解GC-GR途径的组织特异性功能对于确定治疗严重代谢紊乱的新治疗选择具有重要价值。因此，本综述重点关注GC-GR轴在代谢稳态和失调中的作用，强调GC在能量代谢控制中的组织特异性功能。
