Objective:
To investigate the effects of glucagon on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in cultured rat hepatocytes.
Setting:
Laboratory.
Materials:
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 200-250 g).
Interventions:
Isolated rat hepatocytes were cultured with interleukin-1 to stimulate NO synthesis. Glucagon was added at increasing concentrations (from 10−9 to 2× 10−5 mol/L) at the time of interleukin-1 stimulation. Selected cultures were treated with the adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ 22 536 (from 10−5 to 10−3 mol/L).
Main Outcome Measures:
Nitric oxide synthesis was assessed by measuring the concentrations of culture supernatant nitrite and nitrite plus nitrate, hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) messenger RNA (mRNA), and NOS-2 protein.
Results:
Interleukin-1 stimulated hepatocyte NO synthesis, and this synthesis was inhibited by glucagon in a dose-dependent manner. Glucagon inhibited the accumulation of supernatant nitrite and the expression of NOS-2 mRNA and NOS-2 protein. SQ 22 536 restored glucagon-induced decreases in NO synthesis.
Conclusions:
Glucagon inhibits NO synthesis in interleukin-1–stimulated hepatocytes in vitro. This inhibition seems to be mediated by glucagon-induced changes in cyclic adenosine monophosphate.Arch Surg. 1996;131:1266-1272