Protein kinase C and the sub-sensitivity and sub-reactivity of the diabetic rat prostate gland to noradrenaline

Abstract

Concentration–response curves to noradrenaline (1 nM–100 μM) were obtained in prostates from 6-week streptozotocin diabetic, insulin-treated diabetic or control rats. Compared to the curve obtained in controls, those obtained in prostates from diabetic and insulin-treated diabetic rats were shifted rightward. The α 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin (100 nM), caused a rightward shift of the curves in prostates from all groups. In contrast, the uptake 1 inhibitor, nisoxetine (300 nM), only produced a leftward shift of the curves in prostates from control and insulin-treated diabetic rats. However, frequency–response curves obtained in prostates from both control and diabetic rats were shifted leftward by nisoxetine (300 nM). The concentration–response curve to the α 1-adrenoceptor agonist, methoxamine (10 nM–100 μM), obtained in prostates from diabetic rats was shifted rightward compared with controls. Calphostin C (500 nM), a protein kinase C inhibitor, caused a leftward shift of the curve in prostates from diabetic, but not control, rats. The protein kinase C inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide I (500 nM), β-adrenoceptor antagonist, propranolol (500 nM) and muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonist, atropine (300 nM), had no effect on the noradrenaline concentration–response curves of prostates from control or diabetic rats. Our results suggest that diabetes reduces the sensitivity and reactivity of the prostate to noradrenaline-induced stimulation, and this reduction may be due to changes in protein kinase C activity.