Effect of Glucocorticoids on the Growth of Cultured Liver Cells

Each glucocorticoid affected suppressively, relating to added dosis (0.05-50μg/ml), on the growth of established cultured cells such as liver cell (Chang) and fibroblast (3T3, NRK, L, ), respectively, and also inhibited the growth of the fibroblastoid cells originated from adult rat liver. But the effect was not shown on the epithelioid cells from rat liver. In the cell lines, the Chang cells were most sensitive to glucocorticoids, highest Betamethasone followed by Prednisolone and Hydrocortisone. Contrary, it might be shown, the fibroblast cell lines were affected by Hydrocortisone efficiently followed by Prednisolone and Betamethasone. From these results, it should be concerned, for the treatment to hepatic diseases, about the inhibitory effect of glucocorticoids on the growth of liver cells and the differences of the acting effect of these medicaments.