Evidence for the stimulation of dolichol and mannolipid synthesis by glucocorticoids in HeLa cells.

The effects of addition of 1 microM-dexamethasone on the rate of transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose into mannolipid have been studied in HeLa cell cultures. Concurrent with an increase in incorporation of mannose into glycoproteins, the incorporation of mannose from GDP-mannose in vitro into mannolipid and dolichol-linked oligosaccharides was increased after dexamethasone treatment. Stimulation of mannolipid synthesis showed a correlation with the 11 beta, 17 alpha, 21-trihydroxy structure of C21 steroids. Dexamethasone treatment also resulted in an increased incorporation of acetate into dolichol and dolichyl phosphate. The results suggest that the effect of dexamethasone on the cell-surface glycoprotein accumulation is related to increased sugar-linked dolichol synthesis.