Rattus norvegicus strain:Sprague-Dawley Epigenomics. Rattus norvegicus strain:Sprague-Dawley

Several recent experiments in cell lines have indicated that a cell can respond to new signals within its environment by altering chromatin access to transcription factors. This response allows transcription factor signaling to be tailored to the context of the cellular environment and other messages it receives. We have tested whether the hippocampus brain region, known to be a point of convergence for multiple signals associated with stress, can respond to the multiple changes in signaling associated with the experience of an acute stressor exposure in the same way. By assessing the binding of the glucocorticoid receptor, which responds to the stress hormone corticosterone, in stress and unstressed contexts we aimed to reveal any change in binding associated with stress that might occur as a result of altered chromatin access, but found none. Our results do however provide interesting insights into how this receptor functions within the brain and the mechanisms by which it associates with DNA.

近期多项细胞系（cell lines）实验表明，细胞可通过改变染色质（chromatin）对转录因子（transcription factors）的可及性，响应胞内环境中的新信号，从而使转录因子信号通路可根据细胞环境及所接收的其他信号进行定制化调整。本研究针对已知为应激相关多信号汇聚位点的海马脑区（hippocampus brain region），检验其是否能以同样方式响应急性应激暴露（acute stressor exposure）相关的多种信号变化。通过在应激与非应激环境下检测对应激激素皮质酮（corticosterone）产生响应的糖皮质激素受体（glucocorticoid receptor）的结合情况，本研究旨在揭示由染色质可及性改变所介导的应激相关结合变化，但最终未发现此类改变。不过，本研究结果为该受体在脑内的作用机制及其与DNA结合的分子通路提供了颇具价值的新见解。