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Acetylcholine exerts additive and permissive but not synergistic effects with insulin on glycogen synthesis in hepatocytes
Author(s) -
Hampson Laura J.,
Agius Loranne
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.07.026
Subject(s) - acetylcholine , insulin , medicine , endocrinology , stimulation , glycogen , glucokinase , chemistry , cholinergic , glycogen synthase , glycogen phosphorylase , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , biology , receptor
Parasympathetic (cholinergic) innervation is implicated in the stimulation of hepatic glucose uptake by portal vein hyperglycaemia. We determined the direct effects of acetylcholine on hepatocytes. Acute exposure to acetylcholine mimicked insulin action on inactivation of phosphorylase, stimulation of glycogen synthesis and suppression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA levels but with lower efficacy and without synergy. Pre‐exposure to acetylcholine had a permissive effect on insulin action similar to glucocorticoids and associated with increased glucokinase activity. It is concluded that acetylcholine has a permissive effect on insulin action but cannot fully account for the rapid stimulation of glucose uptake by the portal signal.