Protein kinase activity in liver of heat-acclimated hamsters.

Protein kinase activity in incubated liver slices from 35 degrees C heat-acclimated (HA) hamsters was 70% higher than in similar slices from 23 degrees C control (C) hamsters. Adding glucagon to the incubation medium increased protein kinase activity by 65% in slices from C animals, but by only 30% in slices from HA animals. Binding of [3H]cAMP to proteins of a low-speed supernatant fraction of incubated and homogenized slices was 30% lower for HA than for C hamsters. For each acclimation group this binding was reduced 30% by incubation of the slices with glucagon. The activities of phosphorylase kinase, phosphorylase phosphatase, and phosphorylase alpha in slices incubated with or without glucagon did not differ between groups. Addition of glucagon increased phosphorylase kinase by 30% and phosphorylase alpha by 40% but caused no change in phosphorylase phosphatase activity. These results suggest that heat acclimation of the hamster increases the amount of a species of liver protein kinase that is different from the one that mediates the effect of glucagon on glycogenolysis.