CORTICOSTEROID EFFECTS IN SKELETAL-MUSCLE - GENE INDUCTION RECEPTOR AUTOREGULATION

Common side effects of corticosteroid therapy include muscle weakness and atrophy, which are in part mediated by the induction of the enzyme glutamine synthetase. In addition, corticosteroids autoregulate their own receptor, thereby modulating tissue sensitivity to the hormone, T he data in this report demonstrate that these gene-mediated effects ar e evident in muscle after short-term administration. Determination of molecular response dynamics could be useful in the design of future tr eatment regimens. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.