title: Effects of endothelin-1 and nitric oxide on glucokinase activity in isolated rat hepatocytes.
abstract: To test the hypothesis that endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) influence glucokinase (GK) activity in an opposite manner, we evaluated the effects of ET-1, L-NAME, an inhibitor of NO synthase, and L-arginine, a substrate for NO synthase, on GK activity and glycogen content in isolated rat hepatocytes. Moreover, to understand the receptor involved in the process, the effects of BQ 788, a specific antagonist of ETB receptor, and PD 142893, an antagonist of ETA-ETB receptors, were also evaluated. GK activity, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and glycogen intracellular content were measured on isolated hepatocytes, while glucose levels and NO as NO2-/NO3- were determined in the medium. High ET-1 levels induced a 20% decrease of NO2-/NO3- levels and cGMP intracellular content, followed by a 49% reduction of GK activity and a 15% decrease of glycogen. In parallel, a 10% increase of glucose in the medium was observed. In the presence of L-NAME, GK activity and glycogen levels showed analogous decrements as observed with ET-1. Also in this case, a significant decrease of the intracellular content of cGMP was observed. No synergistic effects of ET-1 and L-NAME were observed. L-Arginine was able to counteract the inhibitory effect of ET-1 on cGMP and GK activity. Glycogen content was slightly but not significantly reduced, and under those conditions, a significant decrease of glucose in the medium was observed. When hepatocytes were incubated with ET-1 plus BQ 788 or ET-1 plus PD 142893, GK activity was unchanged. Interestingly, no changes were observed in NO2-/NO3- levels and the intracellular content of cGMP was not modified when the antagonists of ET-1 receptors were added to the medium. In conclusion, the present study shows that the NO pathway seems to be an important regulator of GK activity and glycogen content through cGMP activity. In addition, ET-1 seems to be not active per se, but its activity seems mediated by a simultaneous decrease of NO levels.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Cattedra di Clinica Medica, Medicina I, Università di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valsecchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Sandoli
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Pontiroli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozza
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Piatti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005941:Glucokinase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010880:Piperidines; C076213:PD 142893; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C086539:BQ 788; D006003:Glycogen; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D005941:Glucokinase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D005947:Glucose; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester