cortisol

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cortisol, also called hydrocortisone, an organic compound belonging to the steroid family that is the principal hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. It is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and is used for the palliative treatment of a number of conditions, including itching caused by dermatitis or insect bites, inflammation associated with arthritis or ulcerative colitis, and diseases of the adrenal glands.

Cortisol is the major glucocorticoid in humans. It has two primary actions: it stimulates gluconeogenesis—the breakdown of protein and fat to provide metabolites that can be converted to glucose in the liver—and it activates antistress and anti-inflammatory pathways. It also has weak mineralocorticoid activity. Cortisol plays a major role in the body’s response to stress. It helps to maintain blood glucose concentrations by increasing gluconeogenesis and by blocking the uptake of glucose into tissues other than the central nervous system. It also contributes to the maintenance of blood pressure by augmenting the constrictive effects of catecholamines on blood vessels.

Cortisol—along with more-potent and longer-acting synthetic derivatives such as prednisone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone—has powerful anti-inflammatory and antiallergy actions. At a cellular level, glucocorticoids inhibit the production and action of inflammatory cytokines. In high doses, glucocorticoids can impair the function of the immune system, thereby reducing cell-mediated immune reactions and reducing the production and action of antibodies. Reducing immune system function with glucocorticoids is useful for preventing transplant rejection and for treating allergic or autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and disseminated lupus erythematosus. However, these beneficial effects are offset by the serious side effects of high doses of glucocorticoids, especially when administered over a long period of time. The manifestations of chronic exposure of the body to excess levels of glucocorticoids can be seen in patients with Cushing syndrome. In addition, glucocorticoids are generally not used in patients with infectious diseases because immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory actions may allow the infection to spread.

Cortisol exists in serum in two forms. The majority of cortisol is in the bound form, attached to cortisol-binding globulin (transcortin), while the remaining amount of cortisol is in the free, or unbound, form. As the free cortisol leaves the serum to enter cells, the pool of free cortisol in the serum is replenished by cortisol that is released from transcortin or new cortisol that is secreted from the adrenal cortex. In the cytoplasm of a target cell, cortisol binds to a specific receptor. The cortisol-receptor complex then enters the nucleus of the cell. In the nucleus the complex activates or inhibits the transcription of specific genes, thereby altering the production of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) molecules that direct the synthesis of many proteins, including enzymes and structural proteins.

In contrast to cortisol, aldosterone and adrenal androgens do not bind as readily to serum proteins. While small amounts of cortisol and other steroid hormones are excreted in the urine, the majority of these hormones are inactivated in the liver or other tissues.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.