We examined the expression of total glucocorticoid receptor and glucocorticoid receptor 1F using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) with RNA extracted from hippocampal tissue of suicide completers with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) a history of childhood abuse and from controls (n = 12). There was a significant effect on glucocorticoid receptor expression (F = 3.17, P = 0.05). Post hoc tests showed that expression of total glucocorticoid receptor mRNA was significantly reduced in suicide victims with a history of childhood abuse relative to nonabused suicide victims or controls (P < 0.05); there was no difference between nonabused suicide victims and controls (P > 0.05; Fig. 1a). There was also a significant effect on the expression of transcripts containing the exon 1F NR3C1 promoter (F = 3.58, P < 0.05). Post hoc tests revealed that glucocorticoid receptor 1F expression was significantly lower in samples from suicide victims with a history of childhood abuse compared with suicide victims without childhood abuse or controls (P < 0.05). Similar to the findings with total glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression, there was no difference between nonabused suicide victims and controls (P > 0.05; Fig. 1b).
