Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Macrocortin: a polypeptide causing the anti-phospholipase effect of glucocorticoids

Nature volume 287, pages 147–149 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

Anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids inhibit prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis by preventing arachidonic acid release from phos-pholipids rather than inhibiting the cyclooxygenase1–16. As in other cells17–19, this steroid action depends on receptor occupation and de novo protein/RNA biosynthesis12–16. We have previously shown in guinea pig perfused lungs and rat peritoneal leukocytes that the effect of steroids on PG generation is mediated by an uncharacterized ‘second messenger’13,16. Now, we report that this factor (which we have named ‘macrocortin’) is an intracellular polypeptide whose release and synthesis are stimulated by steroids. Macrocortin derived from rat peritoneal leukocytes is very similar to that released from guinea pig lungs.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Herbaczynska-Cedro, K. & Staszewsa-Barczak, J. Congr. Hungarian Pharmac. Soc. Abstr. II, Budapest 19 (1974).

  2. Lewis, G. P. & Piper, P. J. Nature 254, 308–311 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Gryglewski, R. J., Panczenko, B., Korbut, R., Grodzinska, L. & Ocetkiewicz, A. Prostaglandins 10, 343–355 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kantrowitz, F., Robinson, D. C., McGuire, M. B. & Levine, L. Nature 258, 737–739 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Tashjian, A. H., Voelkel, E. F., McDonough, J. & Levine, L. Nature 258, 739–741 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hong, S-CL. & Levine, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 1730–1734 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nijkamp, F. P., Flower, R. J., Moncada, S. & Vane, J. R. Nature 263, 479–482 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Floman, N. & Zor, U. Invest. Ophthal. visual Sci. 16, 69–73 (1977).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Tam, S., Hong, S-CL. & Levine, L. J. Pharmac. exp. Ther. 203, 162–168 (1977).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Parente, L., Ammendola, G., Persico, P. & Di Rosa, M. Pol. J. Pharmac. Pharm. 30, 141–155 (1978).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Blackwell, G. J., Flower, R. J., Nijkamp, F. P. & Vane, J. R. Br. J. Pharmac. 62, 79–89 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Danon, A. & Assouline, G. Nature 273, 552–554 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Flower, R. J. & Blackwell, G. J. Nature 278, 456–459 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Di Rosa, M. & Persico, P. Br. J. Pharmac. 66, 161–163 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Russo-Marie, F., Paing, M. & Duval, D. J. biol. Chem. 254, 8498–8504 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Carnuccio, R., Di Rosa, M. & Persico, P. Br. J. Pharmac. 68, 14–16 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Buller, R. E. & O'Malley, B. W. Biochem. Pharmac. 25, 1–12 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chan, L. & O'Malley, B. W. New Engl. J. Med. 294, 1372–1379 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Baxter, J. D. & Tomkins, G. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 68, 932–937 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bray, M. A. & Gordon, D. Br. J. Pharmac. 57, 466p (1976).

  21. Stevenson, R. D. Clin. exp. Immun. 17, 601–606 (1974).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Flower, R. J. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmak. 297, S77–S79 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Turner, S. R., Tainer, J. A. & Lynn, W. S. Nature 257, 680–681 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Vane, J. R. Nature new Biol. 231, 232–235 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ferreira, S. H., Moncada, S. & Vane, J. R. Nature new Biol. 231, 237–239 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Smith, J. B. & Willis, A. L. Nature new Biol. 231, 235–237 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Eakins, K. E., Higgs, G. A., Moncada, S., Mugridge, K. G. & Vane, J. R. Br. J. Pharmac. 69, 270P–271P (1980).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Burka, J. F. & Flower, R. J. Br. J. Pharmac. 65, 35–41 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Geoffrey J. Blackwell, Roderick J. Flower and Luca Parente: The Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3BS, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Experimental Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Naples, Via L. Rodino 22, 80138, Naples, Italy

    Geoffrey J. Blackwell, Rosa Carnuccio, Massimo Di Rosa, Roderick J. Flower, Luca Parente & Paola Persico

Authors
  1. Geoffrey J. Blackwell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rosa Carnuccio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Massimo Di Rosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Roderick J. Flower
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luca Parente
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Paola Persico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Blackwell, G., Carnuccio, R., Rosa, M. et al. Macrocortin: a polypeptide causing the anti-phospholipase effect of glucocorticoids. Nature 287, 147–149 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/287147a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/287147a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing