title: Evaluation of glucocorticoid sensitivity and its potential clinical applicability.
abstract: Glucocorticoids (GC) play an important role in physiologic and pathophysiologic adaptive responses to stress. The majority of these effects are mediated by the GC receptors (GR). GC sensitivity largely depends of the amount of available GR, and their ability to bind the GC-responsive element and/or other nuclear transcription factors, leading to modulation of the expression of GC target genes. Clinical conditions of tissue-specific GC resistance or GC hypersensitivity have been described in several diseases, such as chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, and in visceral obesity, such as metabolic syndrome. Several in vivo and in vitro methods have been described, allowing the evaluation and quantitation of GC sensitivity. The recognition of these parameters has improved our comprehension of the mechanisms involved in those diseases, with potential implications for the diagnosis and therapy of such abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Physiology Department of Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. carloslongui@msn.com
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Longui
authors.forename: Cláudia Dutra Costantin
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Faria
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids