Dexamethasone-induced antagonism of growth hormone (GH) action by down-regulation of GH binding in 3T3-F442A fibroblasts.

Supraphysiological levels of glucocorticoids, whether endogenous (Cushing's syndrome) or exogenous (glucocorticoid therapy), inhibit growth in children and immature animals. This effect has long been suspected to be due to glucocorticoid antagonism of GH action at the level of peripheral tissues. In the present study we demonstrate direct antagonism of GH action at the cellular level by the artificial glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Dexamethasone was found to inhibit the ability of GH to elicit several early events in GH signaling in 3T3-F442A fibroblasts. Dexamethasone (100 nM) for 24 h decreases by 50-75% GH-induced tyrosyl phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2, the transcription factor Stat3/APRF, the GH receptor-associated tyrosine kinase JAK2, and the GH receptor. These effects appear to be specific to GH. Dexamethasone does not inhibit induction of tyrosyl phosphorylation of ERK proteins by epidermal growth factor or phorbol myristate acetate, nor does it block induction of tyrosyl phosphorylation of Stat3/APRF by leukemia inhibitory factor or interleukin-6, or induction of JAK2 by leukemia inhibitory factor or interferon-gamma. Dexamethasone does not decrease the expression of ERK1 or -2, Stat3, or JAK2 proteins. Rather, the effects of dexamethasone on GH action appear to be due to a decrease in the number of GH receptors in the plasma membrane. Twenty-four-hour treatment with dexamethasone leads to a 50% decrease i GH binding, which Scatchard analysis suggests is due to a decrease in GH receptor number. These findings suggest that glucocorticoids antagonize cellular GH action by decreasing GH binding, suggesting a mechanism by which systemic glucocorticoids could antagonize GH action in peripheral tissues.