The effects of hyperglycemia on adrenal cortex function and steroidogenesis in the zebrafish.

Since the 1950s, scientists have attempted to characterize the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Similar complications are seen in patients with diabetes and Cushing's syndrome, leading some to suggest that an underlying abnormality in the HPA axis may be responsible among those with DM. By inducing hyperglycemia in a zebrafish animal model, we show a direct correlation between glucose and cortisol levels.