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What Is Steroid Effect On Receptors?

Posted on Mon, 14 Apr 2014

Question: Hi, i had some steroid treatment aged 14 and want to ask about effects on receptors i understnd receptor density is dynamic, and after stopping the drug receptor numbers go back to normal. BUT how do we know in the 'normal group' it doesnt contain some newly formed receptors from time of the drug use?

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Receptor half life is very short Detailed Answer: Hi. My name is Vinay. Thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic. Great question, let me see if I can put your mind at ease. So you know that receptors are constantly being upregulated and downregulated. Now, when these receptors are downregulated, they stay inside the plasma membrane of the cell for some time. But eventually, the proteins and other molecules that make them up WILL have to degrade. They actually degrade pretty fast and new receptors are made on a regular basis. There haven't been very many studies as to how fast the turn over is for each type of known receptor.. but one thing we do know is that the RECEPTOR for a cell can't outlive the CELL it belongs to. So I see that you had your steroid therapy when you were 14 and now you are 31. That is 15 years. There are incredibly few cells in the body that can survice that long. The only ones that come to mind right now are Neurons (They can last as long as the person lives unless they are damaged). So.. all in all, I'm very glad your being careful about the use of steroids, but if they have been prescribed for you, I wouldn't worry about developing tolerances or anything like that due to the therapy from 15 years ago. Your body has cycled through those receptors enough. Did that make any sense? Sorry for the dense medicalese. Let me know if you need anything else or any follow-up. Hope I helped! Thanks again.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (3 hours later)

Dear Dr XXXXXXX Bhardwaj, Thank you for your wonderful and valued advice. You touched on 'few cells can live 15 years' but my concern is about the slow maturing pituitary somatroph cells and ghrh receptors it contains. Do Ghrh receptors's degrade fast also?? Secondly, after the drug is stopped it takes several months for downregulation/decrease in receptor number. Now in this batch of receptors , are they all newly formed? Or have some carried on from time when exposed to drug? My worry is the drug induced receptor formation still exists in the cells Thanks and wishing you all the best Regards XXXX

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Hmmm. I dunno Detailed Answer: I wish I could tell you how fast this class of receptors really degrades, but my training has been more on the clinical side of things. I actually sent your question to a Neurophysiologist I know back in Denver. We used to work together when I was in residency (don't worry, i didn't send your personal info). Just that I was intrigued and wanted to know more (we rarely get questions like this here). If you don't mind. Let me ask you a tangential question. Why the worry? Have you been prescribed a course of steroids for something? Have you been feeling ill? It's not that i'm dumping your original question. I'd just like to know what brought on this worry. You are obviously trained in the field or are an essentially gifted layperson) and I'm just curious. If you are facing any health problems, you could let me know... Maybe I can help? And as to the Ghrh receptors. When I know more, you will. I wish I had this stuff at my fingertips, but I don't. But I won't stop till I have something for you, Ok? Take care, Vin

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (12 hours later)

Dear Dr Bhardwaj, Thank you for your valued advice. I am not trained, just read alot. The reason is i want to make sure anything formed as a result of drug treatment, including new receptors, doesnt exist now. If receptors are constantly replaced and new ones have appeared in place of the previous new ones (from drug treatment) then i would be happy. Thanks and Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: No problem Detailed Answer: Will get back to you when I hear back from Denver. Take Care and thanks for coming to HealthCareMagic.com

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (2 days later)

Dear Dr. XXXXXXX Bhardwaj, Thank you for that. In the meantime i have another question regarding steroid treatments. I took a 12 week course, this was to increase my gh levels and to boost height. But from which time will the steroids start doing its job...few days, 2 weeks or end of the course? Thanks and wishing you all the best

Answered by Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj (11 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Starts right away, Genetic up reg takes a few hour Detailed Answer: Hi there! Welcome back. Thanks for following up. Steroids bind to receptors on the surface of the nucleus of the cell and cause a change in which portions of the DNA get transcribed. The whole change takes a few hours to start. So the steroids start working in a few hours. Make sense? Hope this helps. Stay in touch! Vin

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar