Corticotropin-releasing factor binds with high affinity to CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) and is implicated in stress-related mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
VacA causes anorexia and anxiety through the intracellular PLC-PKC pathway, migrates across the blood-brain barrier, and activates the Ucn1-CRF receptor axis.
Because CRF expression in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a key modulator in adaptation to chronic stress, and central administration of CRF inhibits the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator, we tested the hypothesis that overexpression of CRF in the CeA of female rats alters anxiety behavior, dysregulates the HPA axis response to stress, changes pubertal timing, and disrupts reproduction.
The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, or corticotropin-releasing hormone) and arginine vasopressin systems have been implicated in the pathophysiology of anxiety and depressive disorders and response to antidepressant treatment.