A possible role for glucocorticoids in denervation atrophy

Abstract

Skeletal muscle atrophies after denervation. Glucocorticoids also cause skeletal muscle to atrophy. The data presented in this report demonstrate that after denervation there is a significant increase in the number of glucocorticoid receptors in the cytosol of skeletal muscle of rats. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that a skeletal muscle atrophies after denervation because it becomes hypersensitive to glucocorticoids.