Anchorage dependence and Ca2+ requirement are independently modulated by hydrocortisone hormone in rat C6 glioma cells

We had previously shown that hydrocortisone (Hy), a glucocorticoid hormone, regulates the expression of the transformed phenotype of rat C6 glioma cells. The hormone reversibly renders C6 cells dependent on anchorage and high Ca2+ concentration for growth. We had also isolated Hy-resistant C6 variants in agarose suspension cultures. Here we report that Hy-resistant variants selected in high (1.8mM) Ca2+ medium become growth-arrested in low (30 microM) Ca2+ medium upon hormone treatment. We conclude that Hy-induced anchorage dependence and Hy-induced high Ca2+ requirement for growth of C6 glioma cells, are two independent phenotypes.