Expression of functional glucagon receptors on lymphoid cells

The objective of the present studies was to determine whether the existence of functional glucagon receptors could be established on lympoid cells. The glucagon receptor, which positively regulates adenylate cyclase, is a member of the superfamily of seven transmembrane domain G-protein coupled receptors. Previously reported specific binding with [125I]-glucagon to a variety of lymphoid and myeloid cell preparations suggests that glucagon receptors are expressed within the immune system. In the present study, Northern analysis of polyA RNA isolated from primary mouse and rat derived lymphoid tissues and lymphoid cell lines EL-4.IL-2, Jurkat E6-1, CH12LX, and BCL1-3B3 cells were probed with a 32P-labeled human hepatic glucagon receptor. Mouse spleen and thymus, rat spleen, and the B cell line, CH12LX, all possessed a single 1.5 kb fragment (BCL1-3B3, 1.4 kb) which hybridized to the glucagon receptor cDNA probe, as compared to mouse liver which exhibited a 2.8 kb fragment. EL-4.IL-2 and Jurkat E6-1 cells possessed a 3.7 kb fragment with an additional 2.75 kb band present in Jurkat E6-1 cells. Treatment of mouse splenocytes and T- and B-lymphoma cells with glucagon (0 - 100 nM) produced a dose-dependent enhancement in intracellular cAMP which was maximal at 5 min post treatment followed by a gradual decline. Direct addition of glucagon to spleen cell cultures over a broad concentration range produced no effect on either lymphoproliferation following stimulation with anti-CD3 mAb, or LPS nor on the antibody forming cell (AFC) response to sRBC. Conversely, glucagon effectively reversed the suppression of the sRBC AFC response produced by delta9-tetrahydocannabinol (delta9-THC), and partially reversed the suppression produced by 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, both of which are potent inhibitors of adenylate cyclase. These studies confirm the expression of functional glucagon receptors on lymphoid cells.