Dexamethasone effect on the phospholipid content of isolated fat cell ghosts from adrenalectomized rats

The lipid composition of sonicated ghosts from isolated fat cells has been investigated. Epididymal fat cells from adrenalectomized rats were incubated with and without 8 x 10(-8) M dexamethasone for 3 h. Phospholipids and cholesterol were isolated from membrane ghosts prepared from these cells. There was a 61% increase in membrane sphingomyelin from cells incubated with dexamethasone (P less than 0.025). No significant change was observed in other phospholipids, cholesterol, or fatty acid components of the phospholipids.