Effect of catecholamines on glucose uptake and glycogenolysis in rat skeletal muscle.

The effect of catecholamines on glycogenolysis and sugar transport was evaluated in rat epitrochlearis (fast-twitch) and soleus (slow-twitch) muscles in vitro. When muscles were incubated with 0.1 microM epinephrine (both an alpha- and beta-agonist), the proportion of phosphorylase in the a form increased from 6.2 +/- 0.7 to 37.4 +/- 5.7% in epitrochlearis muscle and from 9.1 +/- 0.7 to 21.6 +/- 1.3% in soleus muscle. Both the activation of phosphorylase and the resulting glycogenolysis could be prevented by preincubation with the beta-blocker, propranolol. The effect of catecholamines on the rate of sugar transport was also examined in epitrochlearis muscle. The beta-agonist, isoproterenol, significantly depressed the rate of 3-O-methylglucose uptake, while the alpha-agonist, phenylephrine, had no effect. Inclusion of 0.1% albumin in the incubation medium increased the resting rate of sugar transport twofold. When isoproterenol + albumin were present, rather than exerting a depressive effect the catecholamine further increased the rate of sugar uptake. This increase was prevented by preincubation with propranolol. It was concluded that glycogenolysis and sugar transport in rat skeletal muscle are solely under beta-adrenergic control.