Effects of protease inhibitors on nuclear binding of glucocorticoid hormones in C3H10T½ cells

Abstract

We have measured incorporation of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisone into nuclear hormone-receptor complexes in the C3H 10T'j2 cell line. As we had found cortisone to be capable of malignantly transforming these cells in vitrd, and certain protease inhibitors have been shown to suppress transfo~ation in this cell line, we investigated the effects of these protease inhibitors (antipain, chymostatin and the Bowman-Birk inhibitor) on the formation of nuclear cortisone-receptor complexes. All 3 inhibitors were found to suppress wholly or partially formation of nuclear cortisone-receptor complexes, suggesting that such complexes may be involved in the process of glucocorticoid-enhanced transformation.