title: Effect of acute heat stress on adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, interleukin-2, interleukin-12 and apoptosis gene expression in rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of acute heat stress on the neuroendocrine and immunological function in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups and respectively exposed to heat (32°C) or to room temperature (24°C). After 7 days of heat exposure, the heat-stress rat model was established. The organ coefficients of the pituitary and adrenal glands were determined. The body temperature was measured by telemetry. The average contents of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (Cor), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-12 in serum were detected. The expression of apoptotic genes in the spleen was measured. The results showed that acute heat stress did not evidently affect the body temperature and body weight (P>0.05), but the exposure increased the organ coefficients of the pituitary and adrenal glands (P<0.05). Heat exposure significantly elevated the level of ACTH, Cor, IL-2 and IL-12 (P<0.05). The expression of caspase-3 andBaxwere not changed significantly (P>0.05), whileBcl2was reduced (P<0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China ; Department of Comprehensive Medicine, The General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fadong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lingqin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guanghua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: apoptosis; heat stress; hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis; neuroendocrine