Genotypic variation in the promoter region of the CRH-248 gene interacts with early rearing experiences to disrupt the development of the HPA axis in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample characteristics.

		Female	Male
	CRH-248 Genotype	N	N	Total
Mother-reared	CC	78	89	167
	CT	5	3	8
Nursery-reared	CC	60	66	126
	CT	3	3	6

Note. Sex difference comparisons were not made due to limited sample sizes.

Figure 1. There were significant rearing and CRH-248 genotype effects on ACTH concentrations, with NR subjects exhibiting lower ACTH concentrations when compared to MR subjects (p <.049), and CC subjects exhibiting lower ACTH concentrations, when compared to CT subjects (p <.001). There was a rearing-by-CRH-248-genotype interaction, with NR CC subjects exhibiting lower ACTH concentrations, when compared to MR CC subjects (p =.003) and to NR CT subjects (p <.001) and to MR CT subjects (p <.001). MR subject’s ACTH concentrations were undifferentiated by genotype (p =.051) and there was not a significant difference in ACTH concentrations for MR CC and NR CT subjects (p =.22) or between MR CT and NR CT subjects (p =.62).

Figure 2. There were significant rearing effects on cortisol concentrations (p <.001), with NR subjects exhibiting lower cortisol concentrations, when compared to MR subjects. There was not a main effect for CRH-248 genotype on cortisol concentrations (p >.05). There was a rearing-by-CRH-248-genotype interaction (p =.024), with NR CC subjects exhibiting lower cortisol concentrations, when compared to MR CC subjects (p <.001). NR CT subjects exhibited lower cortisol concentrations, when compared to MR CT subjects (p =.001) and MR CC subjects (p = .003). NR CT subjects also exhibited lower cortisol concentrations than MR CT subjects (p = .01) and their cortisol concentrations trended lower, when compared to NR CC subjects (p = .08). MR subjects’ cortisol concentrations were undifferentiated by genotype (p >.05).