Glicocorticóide em gatos

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2008.00717.x

Glucocorticoids in the cat
Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Andrew D. Lowe*, Karen L. Campbell† and
Thomas Graves†
*Fox Valley Animal Referral Center, Appleton, WI, USA
†Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
Correspondence: Andrew D. Lowe, Fox Valley Animal Referral Center,
Appleton, WI, USA. E-mail: [e-mail]
Sources of funding
Self-funded.
Conflict of interest
None.

Abstract
Glucocorticoids are one of the two main classes of hormones, along with mineralocorticoids, which are secreted from the adrenal cortex. Since the discovery of the anti-inflammatory properties of the natural glucocorticoid hydrocortisone, a large number of artificial glucocorticoids have been synthesized to attempt to increase efficacy and decrease side effects.
These drugs are now considered one of the most commonly prescribed agents in veterinary practice.
The effect of these drugs has been shown to vary significantly between species. Cats appear to tolerate glucocorticoids well, resulting in these drugs being recommended for a wide variety of conditions; however, there are few studies on the effects of glucocorticoids in cats. In this paper we review some of the available literature on glucocorticoid use in the cat.

Mechanism of action
GCs exert their effects through both genomic and nongenomic mechanisms. Genomic events involve binding of a GC to an intracellular GC receptor (GR), located primarily in the cytoplasm (Fig. 1). GRs are composed of three main protein domains – an amino-terminal domain with transcriptional activating properties, a central DNA-binding domain containing two zinc fingers, and a carboxy-terminal ligand-binding domain.1 On binding a GC ligand, the GR disassociates from a series of chaperone proteins including heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), Hsp70, Hsp40, co-chaperone p23 and immunophilins FKBP52 and Cyp40. Disassociation from these