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. 1982 May 1;93(2):314–317. doi: 10.1083/jcb.93.2.314

Inhibition of synthesis of alpha-fetoprotein by glucocorticoids in cultured hepatoma cells

PMCID: PMC2112836  PMID: 6178743

Abstract

alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) synthesis was studied in the presence and absence of glucocorticoids in rat hepatoma Mc-A-RH-7777 cells. Radioimmunoassay of media from cell cultures grown in the presence of glucocorticoid (dexamethasone or cortisol) showed a reduction in AFP, an increase in albumin, and no significant change in transferrin accumulation, as compared to controls. Labeling experiments with L- [35S]methionine indicated that in both cells and media of dexamethasone- treated cultures there was a 50--80% reduction in polypeptide precipitated by anti-AFP serum, as compared with controls; no change was seen in polypeptide precipitated by anti-transferrin serum. Pulse and pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that dexamethasone inhibited the synthesis of AFP but not its secretion. The half-time for secretion of AFP in the presence and absence of dexamethasone was 43 min.

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Selected References

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