Decrease in adenylate cyclase activity in dog livers during endotoxic shock.

Abstract

The effects of endotoxin administration on adenylate cyclase in dog liver plasma membranes were studied. The basal, fluoride-, guanine nucleotide-, isoproterenol-, and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were decreased by 61, 62, 69, 83, and 63%, respectively, 2 h after in vivo administration of endotoxin. Endotoxin (100 micrograms/ml) in vitro decreased the guanine nucleotide-, isoproterenol-, and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities by 24, 25, and 21%, respectively. These data demonstrate that endotoxin administered in vivo or in vitro had an inhibitory effect on the adenylate cyclase enzyme system in dog liver plasma membranes. Because of the involvement of the adenylate cyclase-adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) system in the regulation of hepatic carbohydrate metabolism, the finding that endotoxin administration decreased adenylate cyclase activity in the liver should contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of altered hepatic glucose homeostasis during shock.