title: Aggravation of DSS-induced colitis after chronic subordinate colony (CSC) housing is partially mediated by adrenal mechanisms.
abstract: Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) is a relevant chronic psycho-social stressor for male mice. Here, we investigated effects of CSC on the severity of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and the involvement of adrenal mechanisms. After 19 days of CSC, male C57BL/6 mice were treated with 1% DSS (8 days). After 8 days, inflammatory shortening of the colon and the histological inflammation score were increased in CSC mice. Additionally, the increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by mesenteric lymph node cells found on day 2 and 4 of DSS treatment was down-regulated in CSC mice on day 8 of DSS treatment, paralleled by an increase in plasma corticosterone. In contrast, in unstressed controls, elevation of cytokine secretion was delayed and only found on day 8 of DSS treatment, associated with a prompt rise in plasma corticosterone. To reveal adrenal mechanisms in CSC-induced effects on colitis, mice were adrenalectomized, exposed to CSC and treated with DSS (8 days). In adrenalectomized CSC mice, the severity of DSS-induced colitis was reduced, as body weight loss, shortening of colon, histological damage score, and cytokine secretion from mesenteric lymph node cells were diminished compared with sham-operated CSC mice. In conclusion, exposure to chronic psycho-social stress increases the severity of acute DSS colitis, an effect which is, at least partly, mediated by adrenal mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany. stefan.reber@biologie.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Stefan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Reber
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Obermeier
authors.forename: Rainer H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: Alexa H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Veenema
authors.forename: Inga D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Neumann
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003092:Colitis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008643:Mesentery; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D003345:Corticosterone