Extra-adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis

Inflammation in the skin

Glucocorticoids are important anti-inflammatory steroid hormones, primarily produced in the adrenal glands in response to immunological, psychological and emotional stress. However, glucocorticoid synthesis is not restricted to the adrenal glands, and extends to various other tissues. Our research group studies the regulation and role of glucocorticoid synthesis in the intestine, skin and lung in the context of inflammatory diseases and tumors in these organs. We investigate the transcriptional control of extra-adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis, its impact on the course and quality of inflammatory processes and its pharmacological manipulation.

Selected publications:

Kostadinova F, Schwaderer J, Sebeo V, Brunner T. Why does the gut synthesize glucocorticoids? Ann Med. 46:490-7. 2014

Hostettler N, Bianchi B, Gennari-Moser C, Kassahn D, Schoonjans K,  Corazza N, Brunner T. Local glucocorticoid production in the mouse lung is induced by immune cell stimulation. Allergy. 67:227-234. 2012

Noti M, Corazza N, Mueller C, Berger B, Brunner T. TNF suppresses acute intestinal inflammation by inducing local glucocorticoid synthesis. J Exp Med. 207:1057-66. 2010

Mueller, M., Cima, I., Noti, M., Fuhrer, A., Jakob, S., Dubuquoy, L., Schoonjans, K, and Brunner, T. The nuclear orphan receptor LRH-1 critically regulates extra-adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis in the intestine. J. Exp. Med. 203:2057-62. 2006