title: The role of DNA synthesis in the responses of fetal rat calvariae to cortisol.
abstract: To determine the extent to which the effects of cortisol on collagen synthesis in 21 day fetal rat calvariae are linked to its effects on cell replication, calvariae were cultured for 24-72 h with 0.1 and 1 microM cortisol in the presence or absence of 1 mM hydroxyurea (HU) or 30 microM aphidicolin (APC), inhibitors of DNA synthesis. The incorporation of [3H]proline into collagenase-digestible protein (CDP) and [3H]thymidine into DNA were measured during the last 2 h of culture. At 24 h HU and APC decreased thymidine incorporation by greater than 90%, and this remained low for the duration of culture. In contrast, cortisol reduced thymidine incorporation by only 44% at 72 h. Although cortisol caused a 24 h stimulatory effect and a 48 and 72 h inhibitory effect on CDP labeling and the percentage of collagen being synthesized (PCS), HU, and APC had no effect on basal CDP labeling or PCS over the 72 h culture period. Cortisol caused parallel alterations in the steady-state levels of alpha-1(I) procollagen mRNA, suggesting that its effects occur at the pretranslational level. At 24 h HU and APC did not prevent the stimulatory effect of cortisol on CDP labeling and PCS. At 48 h the inhibitory effects of cortisol on CDP labeling and PCS were observed in the presence of APC but not in the presence of HU. At 72 h the inhibitory effects of cortisol on CDP labeling and PCS were still observed in the presence of HU and APC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lukert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mador
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Raisz
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kream
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016590:Aphidicolin; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004257:DNA Polymerase II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005333:Fetus; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000494:pharmacology; D011347:Procollagen / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012886:Skull / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D011347:Procollagen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016590:Aphidicolin; D003094:Collagen; D004247:DNA; D004257:DNA Polymerase II; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D006918:Hydroxyurea