Effect of glucocorticoid hormone on the content and synthesis of nucleic acids in cartilage of growing mice.

Glucocorticoid hormones are known to exert distinct inhibitory effects upon skeletal growth. This study examined the influence of triamcinolone hexacetonide, a long-acting synthetic analogue of cortisol, on nucleic acid synthesis in condylar cartilage of neonatal mice. It became evident that following a single injection of the hormone the DNA, RNA and protein contents were significantly reduced. The hormone inhibited both the uptake and incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine into DNA and RNA. Significant changes became apparent by 24 hours and persisted for 72 hours after administering the hormone. Thereafter full recovery was noted. Correlative relationship was noted between the inhibitory effects on the uptake and the subsequent incorporation of the above precursors into their respective nucleic acids. This study clearly indicates that corticosteroid hormones possess a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferative activity of neonatal chondrocytes and upon the latter's protein synthetic pathways, thereby affecting the normal process of endochondral bone growth.