Assessing human relaxin role in Hypothalmic-Pituitary axis Stimulation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
To investigate the role of human relaxin (H2) in the stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
IRAS ID
144236
Contact name
Barbara McGowan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 0 days
Research summary
Relaxin is a hormone which shares substantial structural homologies with insulin. Relaxin has long been regarded as a hormone of pregnancy, promoting growth and softening of the cervix, facilitating delivery and preparing the mammary gland for lactation. Its plasma levels rise during pregnancy in preparation for delivery of the foetus. Relaxin has been shown to be involved in other processes including vasodilation and cardiac protection (1). It has anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-oxidative actions (2). Furthermore, there is some evidence to suggest that relaxin gene expression may be increased in response to steroid administration (3).
ACTH is a hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland which acts on the adrenal gland to increase cortisol levels during periods of stress. The standard way of assessing an intact stress response in routine endocrine practice is by performing a test called the short synacthen test. This involves stimulation of the adrenal glands with the synthetic stress hormone adrenocorticotropin (SYNACTHEN) which is administered intravenously. Levels of cortisol usually rise during this test. In this research study, we would like to investigate whether levels of relaxin are alaso increased during this test, suggesting that relaxin may be involved in the stress response.
1. Varr BC1, Maurer MS, Emerging role of serelaxin in the therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure, Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2014 Oct; 16(10):447.
2. Dschietzig TB, Recombinant human relaxin-2: (how) can a pregnancy hormone save lives in acute heart failure? Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2014 Oct;14(5):343-55.
3. Dschietzig T, Bartsch C, Stangl V, Baumann G, and Stangl K. Identification of the pregnancy hormone relaxin as glucocorticoid receptor agonist. FASEB J 2004;18(13):1536-8.REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0280
Date of REC Opinion
31 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion