title: Regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor in fetal rat lung during development.
abstract: The effect of the synthetic glucocorticoid betamethasone on the regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and on receptor protein was studied in fetal rat lung during development. Using a glucocorticoid receptor cRNA probe, glucocorticoid receptor mRNA was examined by Northern blot hybridization and by solution hybridization. A monoclonal antibody against the glucocorticoid receptor was used to study regulation of the receptor protein by the Western immunoblotting technique. In fetal rat lungs, of 16-21 days of gestation, as well as in adult lungs, betamethasone treatment resulted in a significant decrease of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA to 50-65% of the control level. In contrast, betamethasone treatment did not down-regulate the receptor protein in rat lungs of 16-19 days of gestation, whereas a decrease of glucocorticoid receptor protein to 40-60% of control was seen in lungs of 21 days of gestation, in postnatal and adult lung. These results provide data for a change in regulation in vivo of the glucocorticoid receptor by its homologous ligand in fetal rat lung during development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brönnegård
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okret
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D001623:Betamethasone