Corticotropin-releasing hormone binding protein (CRH-BP)

Corticotropin-releasing hormone binding protein is a secreted glycoprotein, evolutionarily conserved across animals, that regulates stress hormone signaling. It binds CRH (and related peptides) in plasma and brain with greater affinity than CRH receptors, inhibiting or modulating their activation and controlling their neuroendocrine effects. CRH-BP is primarily expressed in brain regions key to stress adaptation (amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex), where it fine-tunes both hormonal and neuronal responses to stress. Dysfunction or genetic variation in CRH-BP is implicated in psychiatric illnesses, notably mood and addiction disorders, and may influence patient response to certain antidepressants. Key Points: - Not a classical receptor or enzyme, but a secreted regulatory protein that controls peptide hormone availability. - Widely considered a therapeutic target in neuropsychiatric and stress-related disorders. - Gene variation may serve as a biomarker for antidepressant efficacy. - Sex hormones affect expression, with implications for disease prevalence and therapy.

Other names

Corticotropin-releasing hormone-binding protein (CRHBP)Corticotropin-releasing factor binding protein (CRF-BP)CRH-BP

Drugs may modulate CRH-BP levels or function to indirectly influence CRH receptor signaling and HPA axis activity. SSRIs: CRHBP gene variants predict SSRI antidepressant treatment response, suggesting a role in drug efficacy.