Steroid hormone modulation of vitamin D receptor levels in human MG-63 osteosarcoma cells. The effects of steroid and thyroid hormones are mediated by intracellular hormone receptors. An important mechanism modulating target tissue responsiveness to hormones is homologous and heterologous regulation of the receptors. We have characterized the expression of steroid hormone receptors in human MG-63 osteosarcoma cells. The MG-63 cells express receptor mRNAs for glucocorticoids, estrogen, retinoic acid, and 1,25(OH)2D3. We found that only the vitamin D receptor (VDR) mRNA concentration was influenced by the hormones. The stability of the VDR message was identical in control, dexamethasone- and estradiol-treated cells. On the other hand, both 1,25(OH)2D3 and retinoic acid separately stabilized the VDR mRNA levels increasing the apparent half-life by 11 h and 6 h, respectively. The VDR protein levels, however, as measured by immunoprecipitation, increased only after the 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment.