Acute psychological stress increases serum circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA
Author
dc.contributor.author
Trumpff, Caroline
Author
dc.contributor.author
Marsland, Anna L.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Basualto-Alarcón, Carla
Author
dc.contributor.author
Martin, James L.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Carroll, Judith E.
Author
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Sturm, Gabriel
Author
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Vincent, Amy E.
Author
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Mosharov, Eugene V.
Author
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Gu, Zhenglong
Author
dc.contributor.author
Kaufman, Brett A.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Picard, Martin
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2019-10-30T15:18:50Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2019-10-30T15:18:50Z
Publication date
dc.date.issued
2019
Cita de ítem
dc.identifier.citation
Psychoneuroendocrinology, Volumen 106,
Identifier
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18733360
Identifier
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03064530
Identifier
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10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.03.026
Identifier
dc.identifier.uri
https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/172122
Abstract
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Intrinsic biological mechanisms transduce psychological stress into physiological adaptation that requires energy, but the role of mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in this process has not been defined in humans. Here, we show that similar to physical injury, exposure to psychological stress increases serum circulating cell-free mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA) levels. Healthy midlife adults exposed on two separate occasions to a brief psychological challenge exhibited a 2-3-fold increase in ccf-mtDNA, with no change in ccf-nuclear DNA levels, establishing the magnitude and specificity for ccf-mtDNA reactivity. In cell-based studies, we show that glucocorticoid signaling – a consequence of psychological stress in humans – is sufficient to induce mtDNA extrusion in a time frame consistent with stress-induced ccf-mtDNA increase. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that acute psychological stress induces ccf-mtDNA and implicate neuroendocrine signaling as a potential trigger for ccf-mtDNA release. Further controlled work is needed to confirm that observed increases in ccf-mtDNA result from stress exposure and to determine the functional significance of this effect.