title: Dexamethasone increases neutral sphingomyelinase activity and sphingosine levels in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts.
abstract: The activity of neutral sphingomyelinase (EC 3.1.4.12) in a plasma membrane enriched fraction was found to be increased in dexamethasone treated cells. The elevation of sphingomyelinase activity was blocked by cycloheximide indicating that protein synthesis was required for the steroid action. Ceramidase (EC3.5.1.23) activity was unaffected by the dexamethasone treatment. Levels of sphingosine in 3T3-L1 Cells were also increased after treatment with 10(-7) M dexamethasone for 2 and 4 hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D003513:Cycloheximide; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; D013110:Sphingosine