MC2R and Sepsis: Adrenal gene expression levels of the ACTH-receptor MC2-R were either increased (p = 0.02 for 3-day sepsis group and p < 0.0001 for 7-day sepsis group), or normal (p = 0.06 for 1-day sepsis group and p = 0.06 for 5-day sepsis group) (Fig. 7a).