Stimulation of release of Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc alpha 2-6 sialyltransferase from the FAZA hepatoma cell line by dexamethasone and phorbol ester.

1. Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc alpha 2-6 sialyltransferase was assayed in FAZA hepatoma cells and the cell culture medium following growth of cells in presence of dexamethasone and phorbol ester. 2. There was about a seven-fold increase in sialyltransferase activities in cells and medium in presence of dexamethasone with the maximum effect occurring at 10(-6)-10(-7) M dexamethasone. 3. The presence of 10(-6) M phorbol ester in the culture medium increased sialyltransferase activities in cells and medium by ca 40% over the values found with dexamethasone alone. 4. The use of the FAZA hepatoma cell line for studies on sialyltransferase is compared with the primary hepatocyte system reported on earlier (Woloski et al., 1986).