Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Control of cell proliferation in human glioma by glucocorticoids

Abstract

Survival and proliferation of cell cultures from human anaplastic astrocytomas were shown to be enhanced by glucocorticoids with an optimal concentration of approximately 2.5 x 10(-5)M (10 micrograms/ml). The stimulation of proliferation was only observed in a clonal growth assay and was reversed as the size of individual colonies reached approximately 50 cells. Above this size, and in regular monolayer cultures, glucocorticoids were found to inhibit cell proliferation as measured by direct cell counting and incorporation of [3H] thymidine. Cultures grown to maximum cell densities in non-limiting medium conditions reached a lower terminal cell density, and had a reduced labelling index with [3H] thymidine in the presence of glucocorticoids. Although there was little difference between the actions of beta-methasone, dexamethasone and ethyl prednisolone, methyl prednisolone was found to be more effective, both in terms of stimulation of clonal growth and inhibition of growth at high cell densities. There was no evidence of cytotoxicity with glucocorticoids up to 5 x 10(-5)M (20 micrograms/ml) and it is suggested that glucocorticoids act via a normal regulatory process, perhaps enhancing cell-cell recognition.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Freshney, R., Sherry, A., Hassanzadah, M. et al. Control of cell proliferation in human glioma by glucocorticoids. Br J Cancer 41, 857–866 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1980.161

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1980.161

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links