title: The effect of dexamethasone on the in vitro incorporation of precursors of extracellular matrix components in the outflow pathway region of the rabbit eye.
abstract: The present study demonstrates that the cells of the outflow pathway region incorporate precursors of the extracellular matrix components during in vitro incubation. Addition of dexamethasone (10(-7) M) to the incubation mixture led to changes in precursor incorporation that were precursor and cell specific. The steroid significantly decreased the incorporation of 3H-glucosamine and increased the incorporation of 3H-proline in the outflow pathway cells and in the fibroblasts of the adjacent sclera. The specificity of the hormone effect was demonstrated by its inability to alter 3H-leucine incorporation. By contrast, in iridial fibroblasts dexamethasone caused a decreased incorporation of 3H-glucosamine while not affecting the incorporation of 3H-proline. Our results suggest that dexamethasone causes an increase in collagen synthesis in the target cells most closely related to the outflow pathway. Further, the decreased incorporation of 3H-glucosamine with dexamethasone suggests decreased synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins or possibly glycolipids in these same cells.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000378:metabolism*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D011392:Proline; D005944:Glucosamine