Cortisol induction of growth hormone synthesis in a clonal line of rat pituitary tumor cells in culture.

Growth hormone synthesis increased markedly after addition of glucocorticoids at physiological concentrations to cultures of the GH(1) line of rat pituitary tumor cells. Stimulation of hormone protein synthesis by corticosteroids was selective, since (i) the rate of hormone synthesis increased while total protein synthesis decreased, and (ii) cortisol analogs, biologically inactive metabolites, and sex steroids did not induce growth hormone synthesis.