Differential induction of transcription for glucocorticoid-responsive genes in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Dexamethasone rapidly stimulated transcription of the tyrosine aminotransferase and metallothionein-I genes--but not of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene--in rat hepatocytes cultured in serum-free medium. This differential response was not observed for cyclic AMP. The results suggest that the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene--but not the tyrosine aminotransferase and metallothionein-I genes--requires a factor which is permissive for stimulation of transcription by the glucocorticoid receptor.