JBC, Vol. 251, Issue 10, 2987-2992, May, 1976
Studies on the role of cyclic guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate and extracellular Ca2+ in the regulation of glycogenolysis in rat liver cells
R. H. Pointer, F. R. Butcher and J. N. Fain
Catecholamines increased guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP)
accumulation by isolated rat liver cells. The increases in cyclic GMP due
to 1.5 muM epinephrine, isoproterenol, or phenylephrine were blocked by
phenoxybenzamine but not by propranolol. The possibility that cyclic GMP is
involved in the glycogenolytic action of catecholamines seems unlikely
since cyclic GMP accumulation is also elevated by carbachol, insulin,
A23187, and to a lesser extent by glucagon. Furthermore, carbachol had
little effect on glycogenolysis while insulin actually inhibited hepatic
glycogenolysis. The rise in cyclic GMP due to carbachol was abolished by
atropine and that due to all agents was markedly reduced by the omission of
extracellular calcium. However, the glycogenolytic action of glucagon and
catecholamines was only slightly inhibited by the omission of calcium. The
only agent which was unable to stimulate glycogenolysis in calcium-free
buffer was the divalent cation ionophore A23187. There was a drop in ATP
content of liver cells during incubation in calcium-free buffer which was
accompanied by an inhibition of glucagon-activated adenosine
3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation. The presence of calcium
inhibited the rise in adenylate cyclase activity of lysed rat liver cells
due to glucagon or isoproterenol but not that due to fluoride. These
results suggest that the stimulation by catecholamines and glucagon of
glycogenolysis is not mediated through cyclic GMP nor does it depend on the
presence of extracellular calcium. Cyclic GMP accumulation was increased in
liver cells by agents which either inhibit, have little affect, or
accelerate glycogenolysis. The significance of elevations of cyclic GMP in
rat liver cells remains to be established.