Dexamethasone inhibition of cholesterol-stimulated glucose transport in 3T3-L1 cells.

This study investigates the effects of dexamethasone on cholesterol-stimulated glucose uptake in confluent 3T3-L1 fibroblasts. Dexamethasone pretreatment blocked both insulin-stimulated glucose transport, and the increase produced by exogenous free cholesterol. The dexamethasone effect was inhibited in both cases by cycloheximide. Concentrations of cholesterol which increased glucose transport failed to produce a significant increase in measurable free cholesterol content in the plasma membrane.