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Sexual dimorphism in adrenergic regulation of hepatic glycogenolysis

Journal Article · · Am. J. Physiol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5716306

The total phosphorylase a plus b of hepatocytes isolated from females and incubated in the absence or presence of estradiol and progesterone at concentrations found in vivo does not vary during the estrous cycle. However, there is a slight but significant influence of the estrous cycle on basal and epinephrine-stimulated phosphorylase a activity, with a nadir being seen on diestrus. The relative contributions of the ..cap alpha..- and ..beta..-mediated pathways to phosphorylase a activation do not vary with the estrous cycle but are constant at 75 and 56%, respectively, of the response to 5 x 10/sup -8/ M epinephrine. When the epinephrine-stimulated glucose release from glycogen stores in cells from females and males is compared, the release from the female is greater than that from the male, while the ..cap alpha..-receptor-mediated stimulation in the female is comparable with that in the male. The epinephrine-stimulated increase in cytostolic free calcium (Ca/sub i/) is greater in the male than the female at 10/sup -6/ M but greater in the female than the male at 5 x 10/sup -9/ M. The changes in Ca/sub i/ are equivalent at intermediate epinephrine concentrations. When considered with the prior analysis of /sup 45/Ca efflux after adrenergic stimulation, this suggests there may be a sexual dimorphism in hepatocyte calcium transport systems. The glucose release for a given increase in Ca/sub i/ is greater in the female than the male probably due to the concomitant action of the ..beta..-mediated increase in cAMP and the ..cap alpha..-mediated increase in Ca/sub i/. This supports the conclusion that the ..beta..-mediated component does make a significant contribution to the catecholamine regulation of glycogenolysis in hepatocytes from adult female rats.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA
OSTI ID:
5716306
Journal Information:
Am. J. Physiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Physiol.; (United States) Vol. 252:4; ISSN AJPHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English