This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jones, K. L. Articles by Addison, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jones, K. L. Articles by Addison, J.

Glucocorticoid-induced Growth Inhibition of Cells from a Human Lung Alveolar Cell Carcinoma¹

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics [K. L. J., J. A.] and Medicine [N. S. A.], La Jolla, California 92093

We have studied the effects of dexamethasone on cell growth and DNA synthesis in the A549 cell line, a line that was originally isolated from a human alveolar carcinoma. Dexamethasone at a concentration of 10^-9 M inhibited growth of these cells. Maximal growth inhibition was seen with 4 x 10^-8 M dexamethasone (44% of control). The population-doubling time of the cells increased from 28.4 hr under control conditions to 66.5 hr with dexamethasone treatment. Dexamethasone also inhibited DNA synthesis within the same concentration range that inhibited cell growth. Decreased [³H]thymidine incorporation was observed as early as 6 hr after steroid addition. Inhibition of growth and DNA synthesis by other steroids was observed and was of the order: dexamethasone > cortisol > corticosterone > deoxycortisone. Testosterone and estradiol were not inhibitory. The cells were also examined for presumptive evidence of cytoplasmic [³H]dexamethasone receptors. Specific binding of [³H]dexamethasone was observed, and Scatchard analysis of the data revealed that K_d equalled 7.1 x 10^-9 M. The ability of other steroids to decrease the binding of [³H]dexamethasone was related to their ability to inhibit A549 cell growth and their biological activity as glucocorticoids. We feel that the A549 cell line will provide a system in which to study a pattern of glucocorticoid-induced growth inhibition that is not associated with marked catabolic effects and cell lysis and that may provide a model for the study of the relationship of steroid-induced differentiation to growth.

¹ Supported by NIH Grants HL 17565, CA 15796, and CA 02837. These data were presented in part at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Tissue Culture Association in June 1977 (2).

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, M-009, La Jolla, Calif. 92093.

Received 8/ 5/77. Accepted 3/ 1/78.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F Sweet, M. Kao, S. Lee, W. Hagar, and W. Sweet Ozone selectively inhibits growth of human cancer cells Science, August 22, 1980; 209(4459): 931 - 933. [Abstract] [PDF]