Glucocorticoid effect on human mesangial cell cytoskeletal proteins

• Published in: The Journal of laboratory and clinical medicine 1999-04, Vol.133 (4), p.378-383
• Main Authors: Koukouritaki, Sevasti B, Lianos, Elias A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Cell Line, Transformed; Cytochalasin B - pharmacology; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Cytoskeleton - drug effects; Dexamethasone - pharmacology; Focal Adhesion Kinase 1; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Glomerular Mesangium - drug effects; Glomerular Mesangium - metabolism; Glomerular Mesangium - ultrastructure; Glucocorticoids - pharmacology; Humans; Immunosorbent Techniques; Medical sciences; Paxillin; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphoproteins - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Phosphotyrosine - metabolism; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - metabolism
• ISSN: 0022-2143; 1931-5244; 1532-6543; 1878-1810
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-2143(99)90069-0

In human mesangial cells (HMCs), we assessed the effect of dexamethasone on the expression and levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of two cytoskeleton-associated proteins: focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin. Dexamethasone, 10−7 mol/L, increased levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of both proteins within 15 to 30 minutes without a change in protein levels. The exposure of HMCs to cytochalasin B, a disrupter of the cytoskeleton assembly, reduced basal tyrosine phosphorylation of both proteins. This effect was reversed by dexamethasone. These observations support a stabilizing effect of dexamethasone on the mesangial cell cytoskeleton. This may constitute a cytoprotective mechanism in the context of the anti-inflammatory action of the steroids in various glomerulopathies.