Diabetes decreases sensitivity of adipocyte lipolysis to inhibition by Gi-linked receptor agonists.

ABSTRACT

(1) Streptozotocin-diabetes decreased the responsiveness of noradrenaline- or forskolin-stimulated lipolysis to inhibition by phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA), prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and nicotinate in rat adipocytes. (2) Diabetes had no effect on high affinity binding of [3H]PIA to adipocyte plasma membranes. (3) Plasma membranes from diabetic animals had increased abundance of alpha-subunits of Gi1 and Gi2. The effect of pertussis toxin in overcoming inhibition of lipolysis by PIA was delayed in adipocytes from diabetic rats. (4) Diabetes decreased the GTP-dependent right-wards shift in the dose-curve for displacement of the antagonist [3H]DPCPX by PIA in adipocyte plasma membranes. (5) It is concluded that, despite increased abundance of Gi in diabetic adipocytes, less of this is functional. This may contribute to reduced sensitivity to PIA, PGE1 and nicotinate and explains some of the loss of control of lipolysis in insulin-dependent diabetes.