Glucocorticoids and the cell surface of human glioma cells: relationship to cytostasis.

The glucocorticoid hormones methyl prednisolone and dexamethasone were shown to be cytostatic, but not cytotoxic, at high cell densities for early passage and continuous cell lines from human glioma at 0.25 microM and above, in the presence or absence of serum. In the absence of serum both steroids at 2.5 nM increased the saturation density close to the level reached in serum. Examination of the iodinated glycoproteins of the cell surface by gel electrophoresis did not reveal any consistent change. However, gel exclusion chromatography of protease digests of the cell surface and of material released into the medium showed an increase in incorporation of 3H-glucosamine in pronase digests after treatment with methyl prednisolone. Ion exchange chromatography showed that sulphated glycosaminoglycans, particularly heparan sulphate, increased and hyaluronic acid decreased in response to steroids, and there was increased retention of GAGs on the cell surface relative to the released fraction. It was concluded that glucocorticoid hormones modify the cell surface of human glioma cells and that this may contribute to enhanced cell intraction and lead to increased density limitation of cell proliferation.