Glucocorticoids are primary stress hormones that regulate a variety of physiologic processes and are essential for life. The actions of glucocorticoids are predominantly mediated through the classic glucocorticoid receptor (GR).
GRs are expressed throughout the body, but there is considerable heterogeneity in glucocorticoid sensitivity and biologic responses across tissues. The conventional belief that glucocorticoids act through a single GR protein has changed dramatically with the discovery of a diverse collection of receptor isoforms. This article provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms that regulate glucocorticoid actions, highlights the dynamic nature of hormone signaling, and discusses the molecular properties of the GR isoforms.
Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America. 2016 Feb [Epub]
Sivapriya Ramamoorthy, John A Cidlowski
Signal Transduction Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangular Park, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, NC 27709, USA. , Signal Transduction Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangular Park, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, NC 27709, USA.