Glucocorticoid mediates water avoidance stress-sensitized colon-bladder cross-talk via RSK2/PSD-95/NR2B in rats

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Nov 1;303(9):E1094-106. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00235.2012.

Abstract

Unexpected environmental and social stimuli could trigger stress. Although coping with stress is essential for survival, long-term stress impacts visceral functions, and therefore, it plays a role in the development and exacerbation of symptoms of gastrointestinal/urogenital disorders. The aim of this study is to characterize the role of corticosterone in stress-sensitized colon-bladder cross-talk, a phenomenon presumed to underlie the comorbidity of functional bowel and bladder disorders. Cystometry and protein/mRNA expression in the lumbosacral dorsal horn (L6-S1) in response to intracolonic mustard oil (MO) instillation were analyzed in female Wistar-Kyoto rats subjected to water avoidance stress (WAS; 1 h/day for 10 days) or sham stress (WAsham). Whereas it had no effect on baseline-voiding function, chronic stress upregulated plasma corticosterone concentration and dorsal horn spinal p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2) protein/mRNA levels, and RSK2 immunoreactivity colocalized with NeuN-positive neurons. Intracolonic MO dose-dependently decreased intrercontraction intervals and threshold pressure, provoked spinal RSK2 and NR2B phosphorylation, and enhanced PSD-95-RSK2 and PSD-95-NR2B coupling. Intrathecal kaempferol (a RSK2 activation antagonist; 30 min before MO instillation), bilateral adrenalectomy (7 days prior the stress paradigm), and subcutaneous RU-38486 (a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist; 30 min daily before stress sessions), but not RU-28318 (a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist), attenuated MO-induced bladder hyperactivity, protein phosphorylation, and protein-protein interactions in the WAS group. Our results suggest that stress-associated glucocorticoid release mediates WAS-dependent sensitization of colon-bladder cross-talk via the spinal RSK2/PSD-95/NR2B cascade and offer a possibility for developing pharmacological strategies for the treatment of stress-related pelvic pain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Glands / drug effects
  • Adrenal Glands / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Colon / drug effects
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Colon / physiopathology*
  • Corticosterone / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Corticosterone / blood*
  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / etiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Hormone Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System* / drug effects
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / genetics
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / genetics
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / metabolism
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects
  • Spinal Cord / metabolism*
  • Spinal Cord / pathology
  • Stress, Psychological / blood
  • Stress, Psychological / metabolism*
  • Stress, Psychological / physiopathology
  • Urinary Bladder / drug effects
  • Urinary Bladder / metabolism
  • Urinary Bladder / physiopathology*
  • Urinary Bladder Diseases / etiology

Substances

  • Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein
  • Dlg4 protein, rat
  • Hormone Antagonists
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • NR2B NMDA receptor
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa
  • Corticosterone