[Lipid composition of the rat liver nuclear matrix as affected by hydrocortisone]

It has been found that the rat liver nuclear matrix contains a small amount of phospholipids (2%) and neutral lipids (1.6%). The injection of hydrocortisone increased the nuclear matrix phospholipid content and reduced its neutral lipid levels. A marked increase in sphingomyelin content observed was accompanied by the reduction in phosphatidylcholine level. The decrease in neutral lipid content took place mainly at the expense of a sharp lowering of triglyceride and cholesterol ether levels. The latter may turn into free cholesterol, thus increasing its content. The data obtained testify to steroid hormone influence on lipid metabolism in intranuclear structures. The observed changes in lipid composition may be related to specific hydrocortisone-induced activation of genome.