title: G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells following acute mental stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated G-protein-coupled receptor kinase-2 (GRK2) density in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and its relationship to plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations following acute mental stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Apparently healthy males (n=20; 21.3±0.55years) participated in an acute mental stress task. Heart rate was measured at baseline and throughout mental stress. Plasma epinephrine (EPI), norepinephrine (NE), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays before, immediately following, and 30, 60 and 120min after the mental stress task. GRK2 density was measured by western blot technique at the same time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acute mental stress elicited significant elevations in HR, and plasma EPI and NE. Additionally, GRK2 density increased significantly across time following the stress task. Post hoc analyses revealed that GRK2 density was significantly elevated at 30 and 60min following acute stress. A significant positive correlation was observed between GRK2 density and plasma EPI, while a significant negative correlation was revealed between GRK2 density and TNF-α across all time points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute mental stress significantly increased GRK2 density in PBMCs of young adult males. Furthermore, although plasma IL-6 and TNF-α did not change following mental stress, it remains unknown whether a longer time period was needed to observe a pro-inflammatory state associated with the desensitization of β-adrenergic receptor activity. Our findings that GRK2 expression is promptly increased in PBMC following an acute stress task, may suggest a link between stress and intracellular inflammatory signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blake Crabb
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States. Electronic address: francorl@vcu.edu.
authors.forename: R Lee
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, United States.
authors.forename: Chun-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Caslin
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States.
authors.forename: Edmund O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Acevedo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D054769:G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D054769:G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Epinephrine; G protein-coupled receptor kinase-2; Interleukin-6; Mental stress; Tumor necrosis factor-α