Effect of dexamethasone and cycloheximide on the expression of amplified EGF-receptor gene in human A431 carcinoma cell line.

Human A431 carcinoma cell line is known to have 30 fold amplified epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) gene. We have studied the effect of steroid hormone dexamethasone (DEX) and protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) on the expression of EGF-R gene in this cell line. DEX treatment and protein synthesis inhibition by CHX treatment cause a rapid 3 to 4 fold increase in the level of EGF-R mRNA and combined treatment of the above two agents have less than additive effect. It appears that mRNA for EGF-R accumulate within the cell during protein synthesis inhibition and upon removal of CHX, gets translated into EGF-R specific protein as judged by immuno-dot assay. We did not observe the phenomenon of 'super induction' nor much of an additive effect under condition of combined DEX and CHX treatment.