J. Biochem, 1984, Vol. 96, No. 5 1619-1624
© 1984 Japanese Biochemical Society
research-article |
Effect of Glucocorticoids on Induction of Fructose Bisphosphatase and Glucose-6-Phosphatase in Fetal Mouse Liver
*Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Akita University Hondo, Akita, Akita 010
**Department of Anatomy, Josai Dental University Sakado, Saitama 350-02
Glucocorticoids significantly affected the developmental appearance of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase [EC 3.1.3.11 [EC] ] and glucose-6-phosphatase [EC 3.1.3.9 [EC] ] in fetal mouse liver. In fragments of 15- or 16-day-old fetal livers maintained in organ culture in the absence of serum, induction of the bisphosphatase by dibutyryl cyclic AMP was repressed completely when the tissue was treated with 10–7 M dexamethasone for 24 h during the second day of culture. The induction of the glucose phosphatase was greatly stimulated after a lag of 1 to 2 days. The glucocorticoid action continued over a period of 2 days even though the steroid had been washed out. The dose response curve of hydrocortisone with the half-maximally effective concentration of roughly 2 x 10–6 M is in the physiological range. The corticoid action was specific for glucocorticoids, and aldosterone or progesterone was ineffective. When the tissue was cultured for 4 days before addition of dexamethasone, the bisphosphatase induction became insensitive to the steroid. Glucose-6-phosphatase induction, however, remained sensitive, but the long latent period required for the appearance of the hormone action disappeared. These results indicate the involvement of glucocorticoids in the developmental appearance of glucose-6-phosphatase in fetal liver.