Effect of growth hormone, insulin and dexamethasone on 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity on a primary culture of rat hepatocytes

11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD) is a microsomal enzyme present in the peripheral tissues of the rat, including the liver, and is mediated by a number of factors in animal in vivo studies. However, the effect of peptide hormones and glucocorticoids on the activity of 11 beta-HSD in isolated rat hepatocytes is not clear. To investigate these effects, we determined 11 beta-HSD activity in a primary culture of rat hepatocytes by adding various concentrations of growth hormone, insulin and dexamethasone (Dex). 11 beta-HSD activity increased significantly after treatment with Dex (10(-9)M-10(-6)M) for 48h. Dex (100nM) treated hepatocytes, incubated for 12h to 48h, resulted in a significant two - to four-fold rise in 11 beta-HSD activity compared to control (p<0.01), which was in contrast to GH (10(-9)M-10(-6)M) and insulin (10(-8)M-10(-5)M), which inhibited 11 beta-HSD activity (p<0.05). These results suggest that the 11 beta-HSD of rat hepatocytes is under multifactorial regulation; Dex stimulates and GH and insulin inhibit 11 beta-HSD activity in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes.