PC12 clones are established neuronal models to investigate mechanisms involved in the cross-talk between the neurotrophins and drugs. Chronic treatment of PC12 cells with the glucocorticoid agonist drug, dexamethasone (Dex), elicited a 50% decrease in the selective binding of 125 I-NGF along with a reduction in the NGF receptor p75 NTR mRNA and protein levels, suggesting a transcriptional mecha...

Dexamethasone decreases 2-D-deoxyglucose (2-dGlc) uptake and accumulation into rat peritoneal macrophages in vitro in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (Ki for 1 microM-dexamethasone after a 2 h exposure = 0.71 +/- 0.21 microM; Ki for 0.1 microM-dexamethasone after exposure for 4 h = 0.10 +/- 0.06 microM). The inhibition of 2-dGlc uptake is consistent with a decrease in the coupling be...

In whole cells, the effects of several androgens and antiandrogens on the in the induction of DNA binding for the human wild-type androgen receptor (AR) and a mutant receptor ARL (LNCaP mutation; codon 868, Thr to Ala) were examined and related to the transcription activation ability of these receptors. To study DNA binding, an AR expression vector was cotransfected in Chinese hamster ovary cel...

Hormonal modulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and of utilization pathways of NADPH generated by G6PD was studied in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line, using a quantitative cytochemical method. Our results show that G6PD is increased by 17 beta-estradiol (estradiol) and synthetic progestin (promegestone R5020). The synthetic antiestrogen tamoxifen has no effect on G6PD ac...

In the mid-1980s, a French company geared its efforts toward developing a synthetic steroid capable of blocking the glucocorticoid receptor in order to potentially treat Cushing’s syndrome. Preclinical studies revealed that the compound developed, termed RU-38486, was indeed a potent antiglucocorticoid agent [1], yet with a caveat: if given to pregnant animals, it terminated pregnancy [2-4]. Th...

In the present study we characterized the negative feedback effect of exogenous and endogenous glucocorticoids (GC) on the responses of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to neural stimuli in male rats. Dexamethasone (Dex) was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.5-4.0 micrograms/100 g BW and rats were exposed to photic or acoustic stress 3.5 h later. The serum ACTH and corticost...

Seven Ru-tris(diimine) compounds were prepared to study the photooxidation of iodide. Iodide oxidation results in the formation of I-I bonds, and it is therefore relevant to the conversion and storage of solar energy. Iodide oxidation is also a key step for electrical power generation in dye-sensitized solar cells. The mechanistic details of iodide oxidation and I-I bond formation were elucidat...

Evidence from a recent study indicates that glucocorticoids (GCs) mediate skeletal muscle proteolysis during sepsis via the GC receptor (GR) pathway. Attempts to identify the mechanisms regulating GR gene expression in skeletal muscle during sepsis have been hampered by the lack of an appropriate in vitro model system that can mimic in vivo septic conditions. In the present study, we report tha...

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that muscle proteolysis induced by TNF or IL-1 is mediated by glucocorticoids. Rats were treated with 300 mug kg(-1) of recombinant human preparations of IL-1alpha (rIL-1alpha) or TNFalpha (rTNFalpha) divided into three equal intraperitoneal doses given over 16 h. Two hours before each cytokine injection, rats were given 5 mg kg(-1) of the gl...

After exposure of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells in culture to 1 microM dexamethasone for 24-48 h, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity of these cells was elevated severalfold. The increase in ACE activity was preceded by an increase in ACE mRNA, which could be detected after treatment of cells with dexamethasone for 4 h. When the increase in ACE mRNA produced by dexamethason...