[The programmed cell death of murine BW5147 thymoma under the action of dexamethasone]

By flow cytometry, imitation modelling and biochemical analysis, the mode and kinetics of dexamethasone-treated T-lymphoma cell death were studied. The hormone was shown to induce delays in pre- and postsynthetic phases of the cell cycle and the death of part of cells. A short exposure to dexamethasone reveals its cytostatic rather than cytolytic effect. Following G2/M delay and cytokinesis, part of cells dies. A reduced serum concentration (2%) causes shorter delays in the cell cycle and a more rapid cell death. Dexamethasone stimulates apoptosis which is indicated by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, and by a coincidence in time of the processes of DNA degradation and increase in the other membrane permeability. These results are discussed in relation to the cell death and proliferation.