Glucocorticoid inhibition of antigen-induced inositol phosphate formation: possible involvement of phosphatases

The suppressive effect of glucocorticoids (GC) upon antigen-induced phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity and inositol phosphate formation by rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) has been characterized. Addition of antigen for a period of 1-30 min enhanced production of [3H]inositol monophosphate (IP1), inositol 1,4-biphosphate (IP2) and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) by about 5-10 fold. Pretreatment with hydrocortisone (HC) and dexamethasone (DEX) reduced formation of the various inositol phosphates (IPs) and degradation of phosphatidylinositol-4-5-biphosphate (PIP2) by an average of 50% Antigen-stimulated phosphorylation of an 18 kDA and other proteins was inhibited by about 60% following pretreatment with the GC. This inhibition was in turn prevented by cycloheximide. Moreover, DEX doubled cellular acid phosphatase activity. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of GC is possibly mediated, among other things, by protein phosphatase activity.