Search

1. The effects of SR 33589 and amiodarone on the cardiac beta-adrenoceptor were studied in vitro and after chronic treatment by means of [125I]-(-)-iodocyanopindolol ([125I]-(-)-CYP) binding and measurement of adenylate cyclase activity. 2. Binding of [125I]-(-)-CYP was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by SR 33589 (IC50=1.8 +/- 0.4 microM, nH=0.93 +/- 0.06) and amiodarone (IC50=8.7 +/- 2.0 microM, nH=9.2 +/- 0.03). Saturation binding experiments indicated a non-competitive interaction such that SR 33589 (1 and 3 microM) and amiodarone (5 and 10 microM) reduced the Bmax of [125I]-(-)-CYP binding without any effect on the KD. Kinetic studies showed that the rate of association of [125I]-(-)-CYP was unchanged while the rate of dissociation was increased both in the presence of SR 33589 (10 microM) and amiodarone (30 microM).3. Under the same conditions, the receptor stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was inhibited in a dose-dependent, but non-competitive manner, by SR 33589 (isoprenaline-, glucagon- and secretin-stimulated enzyme inhibited 50% at 6.8 +/- 0.6 microM, 31 +/- 10 microM and 12 +/- 3 microM, respectively) while the basal, GTP- and GPP(NH)p-stimulated enzyme was inhibited by 5-10% and the NaF and forskolin-stimulated enzyme by 50% at 500 microM. Amiodarone exhibited a similar pattern of inhibition. 4. After chronic oral treatment (50, 100, 150 mg kg(-1) per day, 14 days), both SR 33589 and amiodarone produced a dose-dependent decrease in Bmax without any effect on KD as determined from [125I]-(-)-CYP saturation experiments and a decrease of the isoprenaline- and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity without any effect on basal enzyme activity or activity when stimulated by agents acting directly on regulatory catalytic units. 5. Unlike amiodarone, SR 33589 does not contain iodine substituents. Plasma levels of T3, T4, and rT3 were changed after SR 33589 treatment except a decrease in T4 level at the highest dose whilst the T4 T3 ratio and the level of rT3 were dose-dependently increased by amiodarone treatment. 6. In vitro, SR 33589 and amiodarone were characterized as non-competitive beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. Chronic treatment led to a down-regulation of the beta-adrenoceptor; the down-regulation cannot be attributed to an indirect effect mediated by the thyroid hormones. To reconcile these opposing observations, we propose that SR 33589 and amiodarone interact with the beta-adrenoceptor at a site close to the intracellular loops which are involved in the coupling with Gs and contain the phosphorylable sites. more...

Normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) male rats were treated orally, one week after weaning and for 9 weeks, with alpha-methyldopa (100 mg/kg per day), propranolol (30 mg/kg per day) or hydralazine (10 mg/kg per day). Untreated WKY and SHR rats served as controls. The development of hypertension in SHR rats were attenuated by treatment but none of the drugs was able to restore the impairment in isoproterenol, secretin and glucagon responsiveness of cardiac adenylate cyclase activity which is characteristic of these animals. In heart membranes from both WKY and SHR rats, alpha-methyldopa treatment increased the number of beta-adrenoceptors by 20-32% and the maximal response of adenylate cyclase activity to isoproterenol and glucagon by 20-34%. By contrast, the beta-blocker propranolol was ineffective on these parameters. The results obtained are consistent with the hypothesis that the change in adenylate cyclase seen in SHR rats is genetic in origin and is not a consequence of hypertension. more...

The age-related development of the capacity of the cardiac adenylate cyclase system to be stimulated with secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), glucagon, the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, Gpp(NH)p, and NaF was compared in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats and their lean (FA/?) littermates. The obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats tested developed postweaning obesity associated with marked hypertriglyceridemia, mild hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinism. At 4 weeks, there was already a 57% reduction in secretin-VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in fa/fa rats. At 12 weeks, the secretin-VIP-stimulation was reduced by 77%, and glucagon- and isoproterenol-stimulations by 16-21%. At 45 weeks, secretin-VIP-stimulation was reduced by 91%, glucagon- and isoproterenol stimulations by 34-42%, and Gpp(NH)p- and NaF-stimulations by 16-23%. The reductions of isoproterenol-, Gpp(NH)p-, and NaF-stimulations were totally or partially reversed in 30-week old fa/fa animals submitted for 5 weeks to severe food restriction that almost normalized the altered blood parameters. In sharp contrast, food restriction imposed a further decrease in secretin-VIP- and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities. This pattern of impaired secretin-VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity appeared limited to cardiac membranes in obese animals as the responses of liver, brain and anterior pituitary adenylate cyclase activities to secretin and/or VIP were unaltered. These results suggest that secretin-VIP receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase were rapidly and specifically altered in the heart of fa/fa Zucker rats. more...

Adenylate cyclase stimulation by secretin and VIP was compared to the effect of glucagon, D,L-isoproterenol, Gpp[[NH]p, and NaF in atria and ventricles from rat, guinea pig, rabbit, dog and Cynomolgus monkey. In rat ventricular membranes, secretin was a better stimulant than VIP and was as active as D,L-isoproterenol. In rat auricular membranes both peptides were inactive. In guinea pig and rabbit heart membranes (ventricular and auricular) VIP and secretin were inactive. In dog and monkey atria, VIP stimulation of adenylate cyclase was comparable to that of D,L-isoproterenol, secretin being inactive. In dog ventricles, VIP was less efficient than D,L-isoproterenol, secretin being inactive. In monkey ventricles, by contrast, VIP was slightly more efficient than D,L-isoproterenol, secretin having a small effect only in left ventricles. The present results established a clear difference between animal species with respect to the efficacy of the peptides of the secretin/VIP family: the presence of "secretin-preferring" receptors in rat heart contrasted with the presence of "VIP-preferring" receptors in dog and monkey heart. Our results in dog and monkey hearts suggest that VIP might be a candidate for a physiological control of heart function. more...

The diterpene forskolin stimulated rat cardiac adenylate cyclase activity at least 20-fold and potentiated the effect of NaF. The stimulatory effect of forskolin was reduced in the presence of Gpp(NH)p. Ethanol markedly reduced the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin while potentiating NaF and Gpp(NH)p stimulation. The inhibitory effect of ethanol on forskolin stimulation appeared to be of a mixed type with both a competitive and a non-competitive component. Three other short-chain linear alcohols (methanol, propanol, butanol) also inhibited forskolin-stimulation, this effect being proportional to the number of carbon atoms. more...

1/ In rat heart membranes, muscarinic receptors were shown to interact with guanine nucleotide binding sites closely related, if not identical, to those activating adenylate cyclase. The dose-effect curves of GTP, p[NH]ppG, and GTP gamma S for inhibition of carbamylcholine binding (measured by competition with [3H]QNB) and for adenylate cyclase activation (measured in the presence of isoproterenol) were parallel, at both 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C. 2/ Persistent activation of adenylate cyclase was obtained in heart membranes preincubated with p[NH]ppG or GTP gamma S then washed. The affinity for carbamylcholine was reduced after this pretreatment. The SO.5 of p[NH]ppG and GTP gamma S provoking persistent activation of adenylate cyclase and persistent inhibition of carbamylcholine binding were identical. Persistent inhibition of carbamylcholine binding was not additive with the inhibition observed when fresh nucleotide was added after washing. With p[NH]ppG, SO.5 values were unaffected by washing. With GTP gamma S, the SO.5 value for persistent activation of adenylate cyclase (i.e. after washing) and 330 times higher than that implementing activation (i.e. before washing). A similar change was observed when testing the SO.5 of GTP gamma S inhibition of carbamylcholine binding. This might reflect a partial release of GTP gamma S (but not of p[NH]ppG) from "spare" nucleotide binding sites during the washing period. 3/ Adenylate cyclase activity after maximal persistent activation was not increased when 0.1 mM guanine nucleotide, with or without 10 muM isoproterenol, was added to the incubation medium. In contrast, carbamylcholine binding was further decreased when fresh guanine nucleotide was added to the binding assay. This suggests that the proportion of "spare" nucleotide binding sites capable of activating the adenylate cyclase was higher than that capable to inhibit carbamylcholine binding, or that a second class of nucleotide binding sites (binding p[NH]ppG and GTP gamma S reversibly) was also able to inhibit carbamylcholine binding. more...

The beta-adrenergic stimulation of adenylate cyclase in membranes from human auricles, ventricles, and fetal heart was compared with the binding properties of beta-adrenergic receptors in human auricles. In terms of adenylate cyclase activation, three full agonists (isoproterenol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine), four partial agonists (procaterol, salbutamol, fenoterol, and zinterol), and four antagonists (propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, and practolol) were tested. The beta-adrenergic activation of adenylate cyclase in membranes from rat heart (with a majority of beta 1-adrenergic receptors), rat erythrocytes, and rat reticulocytes (with a homogeneous population of beta 2-adrenergic receptors) served as reference. The reactivity of human heart adenylate cyclase, estimated by the Kact or Ki values of 11 beta-adrenergic agents, indicated that the activation of this enzyme occurred through receptors of the beta 2-subtype only. Receptors of the beta 1-subtype (50% of the total population) were not coupled to the enzyme. more...

Normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) male adult rats were sacrificed 2 and 3 weeks after 6-hydroxydopamine treatment. Untreated WKY and SHR rats served as controls. In rat heart membranes from WKY rats, 6-hydroxydopamine treatment increased guanosine 5'-O-(2-3-imido)-triphosphate (Gpp(NH)p)-, NaF-, D,L-isoproterenol- and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities by 18-38% while secretin stimulation was unaffected. In heart membranes from SHR rats, Gpp(NH)p, NaF, D,L-isoproterenol, or glucagon stimulation of the enzyme was similarly increased by 14-38% whilst the low secretin responsiveness which is characteristic of these animals decreased even further (by 24-47%). These results are consistent with: (1) an up regulation of postsynaptic beta-adrenergic receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase after degeneration of adrenergic nerves, and (2) a differential response of secretin receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase in the two strains of rats: there was no change in WKY rats and a decreased response in SHR rats. The possible presence and contribution of presynaptic secretin cardiac receptors is considered. more...

The presence of receptors, recognized by Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and Peptide having N-terminal Histidine and C-terminal Isoleucine amide (PHI), was documented in membranes from human right auricle and left ventricular cardiac muscle by the ability of these peptides to stimulate adenylate cyclase. The capacity of VIP and PHI to activate the enzyme was comparable, in auricle as well as ventricle membranes, the affinity of the system being moderately higher for VIP than for PHI. In auricles, dose-effect curves appeared compatible with the coexistence of high-affinity and low-affinity VIP receptors. PHI could not, however, discriminate these subclasses of VIP receptors. more...

(1) The binding of 125I-labelled vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) to a particulate fraction from rat lung was rapid, temperature dependent, saturable and specific. This process was also reversible and 125I-labelled VIP dissociation was accelerated by guanine triphosphate nucleotides. The curves describing the inhibition of tracer binding by peptides of the VIP-secretin family suggested the presence of at least two classes of VIP receptor: a "high-affinity' type with decreasing affinity for VIP in the order: VIP = [Val5]secretin greater than [Ala4, Val5]secretin; and a "low-affinity type' with decreasing affinity for VIP in the order: VIP greater than [Val5]secretin greater than [Ala4, Val5]secretin = secretin greater than [Ala4]secretin. (2) VIP and related peptides stimulated the adenylate cyclase activity of the same lung membrane preparation more efficiently than beta-adrenergic agonists and prostaglandins E1 and E2. The dose-effect curves of stimulation of adenylate cyclase by VIP and parent peptides were also compatible with the existence of two classes of VIP receptor, the relative peptide potencies being identical with their ability to compete with 125I-labelled VIP for binding. more...

1. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors were identified in crude rat hepatic membranes by 125I-labelled VIP binding and by the ability of VIP to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity. The specificity of these receptors was evaluated by the capacity of secretin, synthetic secretin analogues, and secretin fragments to inhibit 125I-labelled VIP binding and to stimulate adenylate cyclase. 2. The results were compatible with the existence of two classes of VIP binding sites that could be distinguished according to their affinity for VIP and their specificity. High-affinity sites were more specific for VIP as secretin was 175 times less potent than VIP for recognition of these sites while being only 33 times less potent than VIP for recognition of low-affinity sites. 3. Secretin analogues, monosubstituted in position 2, 3, 4 or 6 were less potent than secretin for adenylate cyclase stimulation as well as for the recognition of the two classes of receptors. [Val5]secretin was more potent than secretin and appeared definitely more VIP-like than secretin; [Ala4, Val5] and [D-Ala4,Val5]secretin were equipotent to secretin. 4. The fragment secretin (7-27) was unable to recognize VIP receptors and to stimulate adenylate cyclase. The substituted fragment [Gln9,Asn15]secretin (5-27) recognized these receptors with weak potency but could not activate the enzyme. more...

n-Alkanols (from methanol to decanol) have a biphasic effect on rat cardiac adenylate cyclase either basal or stimulated by GTP, GppNHp, NaF or hormones (isoproterenol, glucagon, secretin) in the presence of GTP. At high concentration, all the enzyme activities are inhibited. At low concentration, adenylate cyclase activity is either unchanged or potentiated depending on both the stimulus and the alkanols involved. Potentiation is due to an increase of maximum velocity with no change in the activation constant of the enzyme. Basal activity is unchanged as well as the isoproterenol- and glucagon-stimulated enzyme. The secretin-stimulated enzyme is potentiated. It is the guanyl nucleotide regulatory protein-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase which is mainly affected. An attempt was made to relate these effects on adenylate cyclase with physical parameters of the alkanols (partition coefficient). From the data obtained as a function of the alkanol chain-length and of temperature on the adenylate cyclase stimulated by GTP, GppNHp, NaF and permanently activated, it is concluded that the increase in efficacy observed in the presence of alkanol is due to an interaction with the protein moeity particularly with the guanyl nucleotide regulatory protein. more...

The cardiac adenylate cyclase activity from normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats was studied as a function of temperature between 17 degrees and 37 degrees C. Arrhenius plots of adenylate cyclase activity displayed a break around 31 degrees C when tested under basal conditions or in the presence of GTP but were linearized after activation with p[NH]ppG, NaF, secretin, glucagon or isoproterenol. The energy of activation of adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of GTP (9.5 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol) was significantly lower than in the presence of p[NH]ppG (17.7 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol). A hormone was without effect on the energy of activation observed with either GTP or p[NH]ppG but the simultaneous presence of hormone and nucleotide increased markedly the activity of the enzyme. The energies of activation were analyzed in terms of variation of enthalpy and entropy and discussed in relation with the process of activation and coupling of the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. These thermodynamic characteristics were similar in cardiac membranes from normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats, suggesting that the impairment of hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity observed in the heart membranes of hypertensive rats was not a consequence of a defect in the activation process of the enzyme. more...

We have assessed the presence of VIP/PHI/secretin receptors in heart by: (1) testing the ability of the corresponding peptides to activate adenylate cyclase in cardiac membranes from rat, dog, Cynomolgus monkey and man, and (2) examining the ability of the same peptides to exert inotropic and chronotropic effects on heart preparations from rat and Cynomolgus monkey in vitro. Based on their affinity for natural peptides and synthetic analogs, two types of VIP/PHI/secretin receptors were characterized: the relatively nonspecific "secretin/VIP receptor" of rat heart (that is "secretin-preferring" only in that secretin was more efficient than VIP in stimulating adenylate cyclase), and the "VIP/PHI-preferring" receptor of man, monkey and dog heart. Four physiopathological situations affecting secretin/VIP receptors in rat heart were explored: In male rats from the Okamoto strain and the Lyon strain, two strains presenting spontaneous hypertension, heart membranes exhibited a markedly decreased response of adenylate cyclase to secretin/VIP, with lesser alterations in the responses to isoproterenol and glucagon. This impairment developed in parallel with the occurrence of hypertension and was reproduced in normotensive rats submitted to chronic isoproterenol treatment (but not in Goldblatt hypertensive rats). These findings are consistent with a hyperactivity of norepinephrine pathways in spontaneously hypertensive rats, leading to a reduced number of cardiac post-junctional secretin/VIP receptors bound to adenylate cyclase. Heart membranes from genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats also exhibited severely decreased responses to secretin/VIP with lesser alterations in the responses to glucagon and isoproterenol. These anomalies were specific for the heart, and developed in concomitance with obesity. The first anomaly could not be corrected by severe food restriction. Secretin stimulation of heart adenylate cyclase was also selectively altered in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Thus, two types of diabetic cardiomyopathy were characterized by a severe local alteration of secretin/VIP receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase. Hypothyroidism, provoked in rat by thyroidectomy or propylthiouracil treatment, again induced a marked decrease in secretin-stimulated cardiac adenylate cyclase activity. In rat papillary muscle electrically stimulated in vitro, secretin exerted a positive inotropic effect. This effect was reduced in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats. In rat right atrium, secretin also exerted a positive chronotropic effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) more...

The presence of receptors, recognized by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as well as by PHI (a peptide with N-terminal histidine and C-terminal isoleucine amide), was documented in lung membranes from rat, mouse, guinea pig and man by the ability of these receptors, once occupied, to stimulate adenylate cyclase. In lung membranes from rat, mouse and guinea pig, the capacity of VIP, PHI and secretin to stimulate the enzyme and the potency of the same peptides to compete with 125I-VIP for binding to VIP receptors were similar, the affinity decreasing in the order: VIP greater than PHI greater than secretin. In addition, dose-effect curves were compatible with the coexistence of high-affinity and low-affinity VIP receptors, in the four animal species considered. If PHI was able to recognize all VIP receptors it could not, however, discriminate the subclasses of VIP receptors. more...

Cardiac adenylate cyclase activity was normal in 3 weeks-old spontaneously hypertensive rats of the Wistar-Okamoto substrain. The hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity was reduced in 10 weeks-old or older animals, and secretin- and VIP-activations were definitely more impaired (by 64% and 69%, respectively) than isoproterenol- and glucagon-activations (17% and 22%, respectively). By contrast, the fluoride- and p[NH]ppG-stimulations of the enzyme were unaffected. These alterations in the adenylate cyclase system coupled to secretin and VIP appeared specific to the heart as the isolated pancreatic acinar cells from spontaneously hypertensive animals responded normally to secretin, as a liver particulate fraction responded normally to secretin and VIP, and both brain synaptic membranes and a particulate fraction of anterior pituitary to VIP. more...

The cardiac adenylate cyclase activity of genetically hypertensive rats from the Lyon strain (LH) was compared to that of Lyon normotensive rats (LN) and that of low blood pressure Lyon rats (LL). The major finding was a 30-35% decrease of secretin- and VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in cardiac membranes of LH rats that was already obvious in 5 week-old prehypertensive animals: this alteration was apparently specific for the cardiac secretin/VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity, the same activity in membranes from brain, anterior pituitary, and liver being similar in LH, LN and LL rats. It is tempting to conclude that a selective alteration of functional cardiac secretin/VIP receptors in LH rats reflects a local hyperactivity of the sympathetic adrenergic system. more...

Secretin stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in heart membranes was selectively altered in streptozotocin-diabetic adult male rats suffering from moderately severe diabetes, 40 days after i.v. streptozotocin administration (40 mg/kg body weight). The efficacy of secretin was reduced by 55% whilst its potency was unaffected. By contrast, the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by NaF, GTP, Gpp(NH)p, D,L-isoproterenol, and glucagon remained normal. The present data, together with the markedly reduced secretin response of cardiac adenylate cyclase in genetically obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats might indicate that hypoinsulinemia and insulin resistance both reduce the number of secretin receptors coupled to the adenylate cyclase system, an alteration whose contribution to diabetic cardiomyopathy remains to be determined. more...

The beta-adrenergic stimulation of adenylate cyclase in membranes from human lung was compared to that of adenylate cyclase in membranes with a majority of beta 2-adrenergic receptors (from rat lung) and in membranes with a homogeneous population of beta 2-adrenergic receptors (from rat erythrocytes and reticulocytes). In terms of adenylate cyclase stimulation, three full agonists (isoproterenol, epinephrine and norepinephrine), four partial agonists (procaterol, salbutamol, fenoterol and zinterol), and four antagonists (propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol and practolol) were tested. The potency (Kact or Ki) of the eleven beta-adrenergic agents, and the Hill coefficient (of 1) for the four antagonists tested indicated that the activation of human lung adenylate cyclase occurred through receptors of the beta 2-subtype only. Partial beta-adrenergic agonists were efficiently discriminated by the human lung preparation, as shown by distinct intrinsic activities. The mediocre efficacy and the relatively low potency of all beta-adrenergic agonists on adenylate cyclase suggested a relatively low density of beta 2-adrenergic receptors, as compared to the enzyme density. more...

The response of a crude particulate adenylate cyclase preparation from surgically removed human lung to guanine nucleotides, sodium fluoride, beta-adrenergic agonists, prostaglandins, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), secretin, and [Val5]secretin was investigated. The enzyme activity increased 5, 10, and 9-fold, respectively, with GTP, Gpp(NH)p, and sodium fluoride. This activity was stimulated (in the presence as well as in the absence of added GTP) by D,L-isoproterenol, L-epinephrine and L-norepinephrine, the relative potency of these agonists being compatible with the existence of beta-adrenoceptors of the beta2 subtype. Prostaglandins E1 and E2, but not PGF1alpha and PGF2alpha, stimulated the enzyme, PGE1 being at least 10 times more potent than PGE2. The biphasic pattern of stimulation of the same adenylate cyclase activity by VIP suggested the presence of high- and low-affinity VIP receptors coupled to the enzyme. This stimulation by VIP was not inhibited by secretin-(7-27). The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by secretin and [Val5]secretin was also biphasic, suggesting the coexistence of high- and low-affinity secretin receptors. Secretin-(7-27) was able to inhibit completely the secretin stimulation acting through high-affinity secretin receptors but exerted no effect on the stimulation operating through low-affinity secretin receptors, which might indicate that the latter receptors were in fact "VIP-preferring receptors". [Val5]secretin was also used to differentiate these peptide receptors, since its properties were more VIP-like than those of secretin. more...

Male Wistar albino rats received three times daily for one to five days 0.25 to 5.0 mg/kg D,L-isoproterenol intraperitoneally. D.L-Isoproterenol injections provoked a time dependent- and dose-related cardiac hypertrophy. With moderate hypertrophy, a selective decrease in secretin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity occurred. When heart hypertrophy was more pronounced, greater losses in secretin-, as well as in D,L-isoproterenol-, glucagon-, guanine nucleotide-, and fluoride-stimulated enzyme activity developed. Hormone stimulations of adenylate cyclase were more severely, curtailed (60 to 65%) than guanine nucleotide or fluoride stimulations (40 to 45%). The accompanying loss in beta-receptors (35%) was proportionately lower than the loss of D,L-isoproterenol sensitivity of adenylate cyclase. This complex pattern of adenylate cyclase desensitization in heart membranes from animals chronically treated with D,L-isoproterenol is reminiscent of that observed in heart membranes from spontaneously hypertensive rats. more...

Membrane adenylate cyclase from rat heart was activated by the two gut peptides secretin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), glucagon, and the beta-adrenergic drug isoproterenol, in the presence of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP). With all the stimuli tested, the optimal magnesium concentration was 5 mM, i.e. in excess over the 0.5 mM ATP substrate concentration and 0.01 mM GTP used as cofactor. Under these conditions, half-maximal adenylate cyclase activation with glucagon, secretin, and VIP was achieved at concentrations of 0.5, 0.5 and 1.0 microM, respectively. Data obtained with the secretin (7--27) fragment, a secretin antagonist, indicate that secretin and VIP acted on the same binding sites, which differed from glucagon binding sites. Structural requirements for secretin activation of cardiac adenylate cyclase were evaluated by comparing the potency and efficacy of parent peptides and synthetic analogs. The gastric inhibitory peptide GIP was inactive. When using 13 mono-or bi-substituted analogs, it appeared that amino acids in positions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 were of major importance while those in position 5 and 11 played a relatively minor role. more...