title: Dexamethasone-induced stimulation of arachidonic acid release by U937 cells grown in defined medium.
abstract: Since the presence of serum in culture media has been shown to alter prostaglandin production, as well as to interfere with the action of anti-inflammatory drugs, we have studied the effect of dexamethasone, a potent steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, on the metabolism of arachidonic acid by human monocyte-like cells (U937) grown in a fully defined medium. Under these culture conditions, dexamethasone (10(-6) M, 24 h) induced a marked stimulation of the release of unmetabolized arachidonic acid into the culture medium. The steroid also induced an inhibition of cell proliferation which became significant only after 48 h of treatment. The accumulation of arachidonic acid in the medium after steroid treatment was associated with a significant inhibition of cell acyltransferase activity, suggesting that steroids may also act upon arachidonic acid metabolism at sites other than those of phospholipase activity.
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003470:Culture Media; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004963:Estrenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse; D015735:Mifepristone; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D003470:Culture Media; D004963:Estrenes; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015735:Mifepristone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000217:Acyltransferases