Beta-adrenergic receptors and adenylate cyclase activity in the parotid acinar cells from acute streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The changes in beta-adrenergic receptors and in adenylate cyclase (AC) activity were investigated in parotid glands from rats with acute diabetic mellitus (DM) induced by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 80 mg/kg). The animals were divided into three groups: control rats, DM rats, and insulin-treated DM rats. Experiments were performed 7 days after the injection of STZ. Amylase and norepinephrine (NE) contents in parotid glands were markedly decreased in DM rats in comparison with control rats. The density of beta-adrenergic receptor decreased in DM rats, but its affinity for ligand was unaffected. The effect of GTP on isoprenaline (ISO)-stimulated adenylate cyclase (AC) activity significantly decreased in DM rats, but forskolin-stimulated AC activity was unaltered. In addition, diabetes induced the blunted response of AC activity to ISO. The changes in AC activity and in amylase content induced by diabetes were restored by insulin, but those in NE content and receptor density could not. These observations indicate that diabetes decreases NE and amylase contents, receptor density, and receptor-AC coupling in parotid gland, and that these changes would occur in the earlier stage of acute STZ-induced diabetic state.