Effects of compound RU38486 on growth and lipid biosynthesis in glucocorticoid sensitive human leukemia line CEM-C7

Glucocorticoid sensitive human lymphoblastoid cells CEM-C7 were examined for the effects of antiglucocorticoid RU38486 on the prevention of early dexamethasone-induced changes, including reduced cell growth, cell shrinkage and fragmentation, decrease in cell plating efficiency and incorporation of acetate into cellular lipids. When RU38486 was added no later than 24 hours after the addition of dexamethasone, it prevented the inhibition of [14C]acetate incorporation into nonsaponifiable lipids, partly reversed the decrease in plating efficiency and reduced cell fragmentation. In addition, the accumulation of dolichols in the nuclei of dexamethasone-treated cells was abolished by RU38486. These results indicate that glucocorticoid-induced changes in cellular lipids are receptor dependent and may be linked to the initiation of the apoptotic cascade.