Effect of alcohol on the plasma cAMP response to glucagon.

Prior studies indicated that acute ethanol feeding induced a decrease in adrenergic sensitivity as measured by the plasma cAMP response to isoproterenol. In this report we show that two hours after acute ethanol ingestion the plasma cyclic AMP levels were increased 8.5 fold 6 minutes after glucagon injection. Saline controls showed a 35 fold increase in plasma cAMP levels after glucagon injection. It is suggested that the decreased response caused by ethanol may be due to a decrease in the sensitivity of glucagon receptors.