DNA uptake can be facilitated by addition of physiological amounts of
11 beta-hydroxy glucocorticosteroids (such as cortisol) during transfe
ction, In the presence of cortisol, but not of the inactive Il-keto gl
ucocorticoid cortisone, twice as many cells uptake and express the rep
orter gene, The effect is specific and dose-dependent; the amounts of
glucocorticosteroids needed to enhance transfection efficiency are in
the nanomolar range, which corresponds to the dissociation constant of
glucocorticoids for the glucocorticoid receptor in vitro, This effect
can be abolished by an excess of the glucocorticoid antagonist RU486,
We infer that the activated cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors enha
nce nuclear translocation of the incoming transfected DNA. (C) 1997 Fe
deration of European Biochemical Societies.