This 41 amino acid neuroendocrine peptide is the key hypothalamic releasing factor in the mammalian stress response.
Glucocorticoids then mediate the body's adaptive response to stress.
CRH is also expressed in other regions of the brain and in the periphery where it mediates many of the endocrine, autonomic, and immunological effects of stress. Moreover, alterations in CRH neural activity appear to contribute to a number of illnesses including depression, anxiety disorders, and anorexia nervosa. One goal of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for transcriptional regulation of this important peptide. We have focused on transcriptional regulation of the CRH gene by cAMP, calcium, and steroid hormones. The biological effects of CRH are, of course, dependent upon specific receptors on the post-synaptic or target cells.