Evidence for thyroid hormone-dependent and independent glucocorticoid actions in cultured cells. Studies on the induction of growth hormone and glutamine synthetase in GH1 cells and tyrosine aminotransferase in Reuber H-35 cells.

The induction of growth hormone synthesis and mRNA by thyroid hormone in cultured GH1 cells is mediated by the thyroid hormone nuclear receptor. In addition, the regulation of the growth hormone response by glucocorticoid is highly dependent on the action of thyroid hormone. To clarify whether thyroid hormone has a general influence on glucocorticoid action in GH1 cells, the glucocorticoid induction of growth hormone and glutamine synthetase was simultaneously examined. In contrast to the growth hormone response, the induction of glutamine synthetase by glucocorticoid was not influenced by thyroid hormone. Both responses appear to be modulated by the glucocorticoid receptor, and thyroid hormone had no influence on nuclear-associated glucocorticoid receptor levels. These results suggest that the thyroid hormone control of glucocorticoid induction of growth hormone may be a selective process, and the nuclear associated receptors for both thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones interrelate to control the growth hormone response.