Steroid hormone mediated regulation of corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a 41 amino acid polypeptide, is expressed in many regions of central nervous system and peripheral tissues and mediates many physiological functions. Abnormal production of CRH is involved in some pathological processes. Among various endogenous factors that modulate CRH production, steroid hormones control CRH production by regulating its gene transcription. Although there is no classical steroid hormone response element in the CRH promoter, steroid hormones regulate CRH gene expression through protein-protein interaction or by binding directly to response elements.