Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 737 (1983) 409-442 409 Elsevier BBA 85249 NON-GENOMIC EFFECTS OF STEROIDS INTERACTIONS OF STEROID MOLECULES WITH MEMBRANE STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS D. DUVAL, S. DURANT and F. HOMO-DELARCHE U7 I N S E R M / L A 318 CNRS, Department of Pharmacology, Hopital Necker, 161, rue de Sbvres, 75015 Paris (France) (Received October 4th, 1982) Contents I. Introduction ............................................................................. 410 II. Receptor-mediated effects of steroids on membrane composition and properties .............................. 411 A. Membrane composition ................................................................... 412 1. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis .......................................................... 412 2. Modulation of lipid synthesis ............................................................. 412 3. Effect on membrane polysaccharides ........................................................ 412 4. Action on membrane proteins ............................................................. 412 B. Membrane functions ..................................................................... 413 1. Steroids and membrane permeability ........................................................ 413 2. Long term 'permissive effects' of steroids ..................................................... 415 3. Effect of steroids on membrane enzymes ..................................................... 416 C. Effects on shape and organization of membranes ................................................. 417 1. Plasma membranes .................................................................... 417 2. Lysosomal membranes .................................................................. 417 3. Mitochondrial membranes ............................................................... 418 D. Conclusion ............................................................................ 418 III. Direct effects of steroids ..................................................................... 419 A. Anaesthetic steroids ...................................................................... 419 B. Effect of steroids on cell excitability .......................................................... 419 1. Effect on membrane potential ............................................................. 419 2. Steroids and contractile activity ........................................................... 420 C. Short term interactions of steroids with cyclic nucleotides ........................................... 421 I. Effect on cAMP content ................................................................. 421 2. Rapid 'permissive actions' . .............................................................. 422 3. Effect on extra-neuronal uptake ........................................................... 423 D. Effects of steroids on transports ............................................................. 423 1. Effect on ion transport .................................................................. 423 2. Effect on glucose transport ............................................................... 425 3. Effect on nucleosides transport ............................................................ 425 E. Steroids and lysosomes .................................................................... 425 F. Steroids and mitochondrial electron transport .................................................... 426 G. Steroids as regulators of enzyme activities ...................................................... 426 0304-4157/83/$03.00 © 1983 Elsevier Science Publishers