Mechanisms of glucagon-induced homologous and heterologous desensitization of adenylate cyclase in membranes and whole Sertoli cells of the rat.

In the present work the molecular mechanisms of glucagon-induced desensitization of adenylate cyclase in cultured Sertoli cells have been studied in both whole cells and in a cell-free system. 1) Pretreatment of both whole Sertoli cells and membranes with glucagon induces a time- and dose-dependent desensitization of adenylate cyclase response that is primarily homologous and similar in the two systems. The component of heterologous desensitization, estimated by the reduced responsiveness to other hormones and NaF, accounted for only 12-20% loss of glucagon-responsive adenylate cyclase activity (P less than 0.01). 2) Glucagon-induced desensitization is ATP-dependent. Half maximal desensitization was achieved between 0.1 and 0.2 mM of ATP. 3) The typical time lag in the maximal activation of adenylate cyclase by GMPP(NH)P in the absence of hormone reappeared upon desensitization in spite of the presence of glucagon. The lag, however, was eliminated by FSH, showing that the homologous desensitization is due to a receptor-specific alteration. 4) The heterologous component of glucagon-induced desensitization is largely cAMP/protein kinase dependent. cAMP/protein kinase-induced desensitization was heterologous and caused approximately 30% loss of both hormonal and fluoride-stimulated enzyme activity. 5) Glucagon-induced desensitization is not due to altered activity of Ni since it proceeded equally well in membranes of cells pretreated with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml) which eliminates Ni-mediated effects. It is concluded that glucagon induces both homologous and heterologous desensitization of the Sertoli cell adenylate cyclase. The locus of homologous desensitization appears to be at the level of the receptor and most probably involves a cAMP-independent phosphorylation reaction, whereas the heterologous desensitization appears to be cAMP-mediated and at least involves impaired functional activity of the Ns component.