Abstract for presentation at 6th World Congress on Stress

Acute and chronic psychological stresses differentially activate distinct maker genes in peripheral blood

  • Tomoko Kawai, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Kiyoshi Masuda, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Kensei Nishida, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Kumiko Tominaga, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Yuta Yamamoto, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Shigetada Teshima-Kondo, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan
  • Kazuhito Rokutan, Department of Stress Science, Institute of Health Bioscience, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Japan

    • Objects: Characterization of gene expression in healthy subjects under stressful situations is an essential foundation for recognition and interpretation of changes in gene expression associated with stress-related disorders. We examined gene expression patterns in peripheral blood cells (PBCs) of healthy subjects under acute or chronic psychological stress.
    Methods: Using an original microarray carrying 1467 cDNA probes for stress-responsive genes, we examined gene expression in whole blood of 10 post-graduate students 4 weeks and 2 h before and 2 h or 24 h after their PhD defense. As for chronic psychological stress-responsive genes, PBCs were collected from 18 medical students 9 months, 2 months and 2 days before the medical license examination. Stress was indirectly assessed by measuring their anxiety using STAI.
    Results: In response to the PhD defense, 70 genes were significantly and uniformly changed their mRNA expressions with a peak at 2 h after finishing the defense in association with a transient increase in state anxiety scores at 2 h before the defense. In medical students, STAI scores were significantly elevated 2 months before the examination, and remained high until 2 days before the examination. Gene expression profile exhibited a more uniform pattern 2 days before than 2 months before the examination. We identified 24 genes significantly and uniformly changed from universal control 2 days before the examination. Only 2 genes were overlapped between the acute stress- and chronic stress-responsive genes.
    Conclusion: The identified genes may be useful for assessment of complex stress responses in healthy subjects.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd