Hormonal Induction of Increased Zinc Uptake in Mammalian Cell Cultures: Requirement for RNA and Protein Synthesis

The zinc content of HeLa S(3) cells is markedly increased after growth in medium containing adrenal glucocorticoid hormones. Studies with inhibitors indicate that the synthesis of RNA and protein is required for enhanced zinc uptake. When protein synthesis is blocked in the presence of the steroid, an intermediate, presumably messenger RNA, which specifies enhanced zinc uptake accumulates and is expressed when the inhibition of protein synthesis is removed.