Figure 7: Dex upregulates gluconeogenesis in vivo and in vitro.

BALB/c mice were s.c. inoculated with H22 cells and i.p. treated with 0, 1.25, 2.5 or 5 μg g⁻¹ Dex. The expression of PEPCK and G6Pase in hepatocarcinomas was analysed by reverse transcriptase–PCR (RT–PCR; a, left) and real-time PCR (a, right), or analysed by western blot (b). Meanwhile, 10 mg murine hepatocarcinomas tissues were lysed in 100 μl lysate and the concentration of glucose in the solution was measured (c). H22 cells were treated with 0, 0.1, 1 or 10 μM Dex for 7 days. The expression of PEPCK and G6Pase was determined by RT–PCR (d, left), real-time PCR (d, right) and western blot (e). Treated H22 cells (10⁶) were lysed in 2 ml H₂O and the concentration of glucose in the solution was measured (f). Data shown are representative of three independent experiments and error bars represent means±s.e.m., *P<0.05, **P<0.01 (analysis of variance).