Angiotensin II inhibits hepatic cAMP accumulation induced by glucagon and epinephrine and their metabolic effects

Incubation of isolated hepatocytes containing normal Ca 2+ levels with angiotensin II, vasopressin or A23187 caused significant inhibition of the cAMP response to glucagon. Angiotensin II also inhibited cAMP accumulation induced by either glucagon or epinephrine in Ca 2+-depleted hepatocytes. When sub-maximal doses of hormone were employed such that cell cAMP was elevated only 3–4-fold (∼2 pmol cAMP/mg wet wt cells) inhibition by angiotensin II was correlated with a decrease in phosphorylase activation. The data demonstrate that inhibition of hepatic cAMP accumulation results in reduced metabolic responses to glucagon and epinephrine and do not support the contention that the hepatic actions of glucagon are independent of cAMP.