 Glucocorticoids are known to cause insulin resistance, but recent studies suggest that they may also activate genes that promote insulin sensitivity. These studies found that the gene IOS2 was opregulated when mice were exposed to glucocorticoids, suggesting that this gene plays a role in limiting the effects of glucocorticoids on insulin sensitivity. In addition, these studies showed that the co-activator EHMT2 is necessary for glucocorticoid-mediated IOS2 expression. Finally, these studies suggest that the balance between glucocorticoid-mediated insulin resistance and insulin sensitization is determined by the activity of EHMT2, with its co-activation function playing a key role in promoting insulin sensitivity. This article was authored by Rebecca A. Lee, Maggie Chang, Nicholas Yiv, and others.