Factors governing glucose induced elevation of cyclic 3'5' AMP levels in pancreatic islets

Adenosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels of isolated perifused pancreatic islets were elevated by high levels of glucose concomitantly with initiation of enhanced insulin secretion. The rise of cAMP was biphasic and seemed to be related to the temporal biphasic kinetics of insulin release. However, the temporal profiles of cAMP level changes and of insulin release differed; the major rise of the cAMP levels was seen during the initial phase, whereas insulin secretion was more pronounced during the second phase of release. Glucose-induced cAMP elevation required the presence of extracellular Ca++. Mannoheptulose completely blocked cAMP elevation due to high glucose. Exogenous insulin which has been shown by others to inhibit insulin secretion in vitro, blunted the glucose-induced cAMP rise. These observations and data in the literature are compatible with the concept that under physiological conditions glucose governs the intracellular cAMP levels in a Ca++ dependent manner - either directly or indirectly through metabolic effects.