Effects of cyclosporine A on cyclic AMP generation and GTP-binding proteins in isolated islets

The role of cyclosporine A (CsA) in cAMP generation and its relationship with guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) was investigated in isolated islets. cAMP accumulation in response to glucose, 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) and the calcium ionophore A23187 increased significantly (P less than 0.05) in the presence of 0.5 microgram/mL CsA. CsA (0.5 microgram/mL) was unable to affect the 2.1-fold increase in cAMP formation induced by 30 microM forskolin (an adenylate cyclase complex activator). The pertussis toxin-induced cAMP generation in the presence of 20 mM glucose was suppressed by CsA by 34%. On the other hand, CsA enhanced cAMP levels in cholera toxin-treated islets. CsA caused a non-competitive inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity with half-maximal inhibition at 5 micrograms/mL CsA. CsA blocked the pertussis toxin ADP-ribosylation of a 41-kDa and a 21-kDa islet protein, but not the cholera toxin ADP-ribosylation of a 45-kDa and a 21-kDa islet protein. These data indicate that CsA increases cAMP content by a non-competitive inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity and by acting through G-proteins involved in the modulation of adenylate cyclase activity. An inhibitory effect of CsA on a 21-kDa pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein was also observed.