Differential Effect of Glutathione Depletion on Glycogenolysis in Isolated Rat Hepatocytes Mediated by α-Adrenoceptor Agonists and Glucagon

Glutathione (GSH) exerts a variety of cytoprotecive effects, but is readily depleted from cells under a variety of stressfulstimuli. The impact of GSH depletion on receptor-mediated activity in rat hepatocytes has been studied with regard to glycogenolysisstimulated with a-adrenoceptor agonists or glucagon, which exert their actions through different signalling pathways. Depletion ofGSH content (70%) by diethyl maleate had no effect on the redox status of the cells or on basal or glucagon-stimulatedglycogenolysis, but significantly reduced the response to the a-adrenoceptor agonists adrenalin and phenylephrine. These resultshighlight the possible modulatory effects of GSH on receptor-mediated activity in hepatocytes