A reexamination of the effects induced by adenosine and its degradation products on rat fat cell lipolysis.

The effects of adenosine and of some products of its metabolic degradation on lipolysis were studied in rat fat cells isolated from epididymal adipose tissue. Basal glycerol release was not affected by adenosine and by uric acid, but it was significantly increased by inosine (1-100 microM) and by hypoxanthine (10-100 microM). Adenosine was more effective than inosine in antagonizing the lipolytic response of fat cells to theophylline. Also hypoxanthine and uric acid exerted a very potent, noncompetitive antagonism towards theophylline. Norepinephrine-induced lipolysis was inhibited by adenosine, hypoxanthine and uric acid approximately to the same extent, while inosine was ineffective at this level. Adenosine deaminase (0.5 U/ml) increased basal as well as theophylline- and norepinephrine-induced lipolysis. Moreover, adenosine deaminase enhanced the lipolytic rate in cells incubated with low (0.1, 1 microM) and, to a lesser extent, with high (10, 100 microM) inosine concentrations. These results suggest that inosine is the adenosine metabolite that may accumulate in the incubation medium following fat cell treatment with adenosine deaminase, thus contributing to the stimulatory effects of this enzyme on lipolysis.

Involvement of P1-purinoreceptors in the relaxing effect of adenosine in rat duodenum.

1. In isolated segments of rat duodenum, adenosine (50 microM-2 mM) caused a very rapid and short-lasting relaxation that was associated with a marked decrease in the amplitude of spontaneous contractions. 2. Theophylline (0.1-0.8 mM) and 8-phenyltheophylline (1-10 microM) antagonized, in a concentration-dependent manner, the effects of 0.3 mM adenosine on smooth muscle tension and spontaneous activity. 3. The concentration-response curves for adenosine (50 microM-2 mM) were progressively shifted to the right by increasing concentrations of theophylline and of 8-phenyltheophylline, with no change in the maximum effect. 4. 8-Phenyltheophylline (5 microM) did not affect relaxations induced by noradrenaline (0.5 microM) and by isoprenaline (5 nM). 5. These results indicate that the effects exerted by adenosine on rat duodenum are mediated by P1-purinoreceptors.

Target sites for the inhibition of prostacyclin effect in guinea-pig ileum.

In the guinea-pig terminal ileum a maximally effective concentration of prostacyclin (PGI2) (1 mumol/l) induced contractions that were partially resistant to tetrodotoxin (TTX) 0.1 mumol/l, to low temperature (20 degrees C) and to atropine (30 nmol/l). Half maximum contractions evoked by PGI2 (20 nmol/l) were abolished by TTX and by low temperature, which did not modify the response to exogenous acetylcholine (ACh), as well as by atropine. Procaine (5-500 mumol/l) caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of contractions induced by PGI2 (20 nmol/l and 1 mumol/l) and by equieffective concentrations of ACh (20 nmol/l and 0.4 mumol/l, respectively). The order of magnitude for this inhibition was ACh 20 nmol/l = PGI2 20 nmol/l greater than PGI2(1) mumol/l greater than ACh 0.4 mumol/l. In preparations exposed to TTX or to low temperature procaine (50 mumol/l) did not affect the residual response to PGI2 (1 mumol/l). Quercetin (1 and 5 mumol/l) inhibited the effect of PGI2 and, at higher concentrations, it also caused partial depression of the responses to ACh. Quercetin did not alter TTX-resistant and low temperature-resistant contractions induced by PGI2 1 mumol/l. Carbonyl cyanide-trifluoro-methoxyphenyl hydrazone (FCCP) (0.1-1 mumol/l) reduced the effect of PGI2 and of ACh to approximately the same extent and inhibited the residual response to PGI2 1 mumol/l in preparations treated with TTX or expressed to low temperature. The present results show that PGI2, besides acting on cholinergic neurons, also exerts a direct effect on smooth muscle cells and FCCP can be used to block this effect. In contrast procaine and quercetin selectively inhibit the ACh-mediated component of PGI2 action.

Influence of prostacyclin on the antilipolytic effect of nicotinic acid in rat fat cells: a comparison with adenosine deaminase and theophylline.

Isolated rat fat cells were incubated at pH 8.5 in order to delay PGI2 inactivation. Nicotinic acid, at concentrations lower than 2 mM was ineffective in antagonizing the stimulation of lipolysis induced by norepinephrine (2 microM). The potentiation of norepinephrine effect due to PGI2 (0.1 microM) was abolished by 0.1 mM nicotinic acid and, at higher concentrations of the drug, the rate of the process fell below the one measured in the absence of PGI2, with a resulting decrease of the response to norepinephrine. Nicotinic acid (0.04-0.4 mM) antagonized the stimulation of lipolysis caused by adenosine deaminase (0.5 U/ml) or by theophylline (0.5 mM) and the potentiation of norepinephrine effect due to adenosine deaminase. In cells treated with adenosine deaminase (0.5 U/ml) or with theophylline (0.5 mM), PGI2 (40 nM) inhibited the lipolytic effect of norepinephrine (5 microM) and nicotinic acid acted synergistically with PGI2 at this level. These results indicate that the antilipolytic action of nicotinic acid is influenced by endogenous adenosine and is increased by PGI2.