Wide-genome analysis of hepatocytes isolated from male and female rats treated with glucocorticoid.

Glucocorticoids are widely used therapeutically to suppress inflammatory/immune responses and most of their effects are produced either by altering transcription of specific genes directly, or by altering the expression of transcription factors that subsequently alter the expression of downstream genes. Relevant data from previous studies indicate that the number of genes regulated by glucocorticoid receptor exceeds 4000 in cells and that 358 different genes are regulated in the liver of adrenalectomized males rats treated with a chronic infusion of methylprednisolone for up to 1 week . However, differences in gene expression between males and females in response to glucocorticoid treatment in isolated hepatocytes are not known.糖皮质激素（Glucocorticoids）在临床治疗中被广泛用于抑制炎症与免疫应答，其多数效应通过两种途径产生：直接调控特定基因的转录，或是通过改变转录因子的表达水平，进而调控下游基因的表达。既往研究的相关数据表明，在各类细胞中受糖皮质激素受体（glucocorticoid receptor）调控的基因数量超过4000个；而在经甲基泼尼松龙（methylprednisolone）慢性输注（最长持续1周）处理的去肾上腺雄性大鼠肝脏组织中，共有358个不同基因受到调控。然而，在分离的肝细胞（hepatocytes）中，雌雄个体经糖皮质激素处理后其基因表达的差异尚不明确。