Arrhenius plot characteristics of adipocyte-plasma-membrane adenylate cyclase activity in lean and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice.

Arrhenius plots of fluoride- and guanine-nucleotide-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity were linear in adipocyte plasma membranes from lean and obese (ob/ob) mice. Arrhenius plots of isoprenaline-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in hepatic plasma membranes biphasic in both groups. The results were biphasic in membranes from lean mice but linear in membranes from obese mice. In contrast, Arrhenius plots of glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in hepatic plasma membranes were biphasic in both groups. The results suggest that the coupling between the beta-receptor and the regulatory unit of adenylate cyclase, which has been observed to be defective in adipocyte plasma membranes from obese mice, is influenced by a different lipid environment in membranes from obese animals.