Saccharin induces changes in adenylate cyclase activity in liver and muscle membranes in rats.

The non-nutritive sweetener, saccharin, was found to stimulate significantly the activity of adenylate cyclase in membranes derived from skeletal muscle of rat. Sodium saccharin enhanced adenylate cyclase activity in a dose-related manner, and this activation appeared to be dependent on the presence of guanine nucleotides, suggesting the involvement of GTP-binding proteins. In membranes derived from the liver, however, sodium saccharin had an effect which was dependent on the concentration of membranes used in the adenylate cyclase assay. In high concentrations of membranes, sodium saccharin had a stimulatory effect, while in low concentration an inhibition was observed.