title: Enhancement of serotonin uptake by cortisol: a possible link between stress and depression.
abstract: Stress and depression are characterized by elevation of circulating cortisol, as well as by changes in physiological functions. In this study, we addressed the possibility that elevated cortisol is also associated with the origin and development of depression. We report here that cortisol at the nM-microM concentration range induces a substantial increase in serotonin uptake both in vitro, by human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and cortical neuronal cells, and in vivo, by rabbit PBLs, owing to promotion of synthesis of the serotonin transporter. These findings offer a novel molecular mechanism for depression associated with stress. Accordingly, the elevated cortisol induced by stress increases serotonin uptake, under both rest and nerve stimulation, which is overtly expressed in symptoms of depression.
authors.affiliation: Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Tafet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toister-Achituv
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shinitzky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000502:physiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone