title: Adenosine depresses spontaneous transmitter release from frog motor nerve terminals by acting at an A1-like receptor.
abstract: Adenosine (1 microM to 1 mM) depressed spontaneous transmitter release from frog motor nerve terminals without producing any observable postsynaptic effects. Since this action of adenosine was blocked by 20 microM theophylline and 1 microM 8-phenyltheophylline, adenosine probably acts at a specific receptor on motor nerve terminals to reduce spontaneous transmitter output. The effects of the adenosine analogs, L-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (L-PIA, 100 pM to 1 microM), D-PIA (100 nM to 100 microM), and 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA, 10nM to 100 microM), were tested on spontaneous transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction. L-PIA depressed mepp frequency at a threshold concentration of about 1 nM, was thirteen times more potent than NECA, and was 294 times more effective than D-PIA. The rank-order potency of these analogs indicates that adenosine acts at an A1-like receptor to depress spontaneous transmitter release. Inhibitory actions of maximally effective concentrations of adenosine and L-PIA were also blocked by the A1-specific antagonist, 1-3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX) at a concentration of 100 nM. Micromolar concentrations of NECA, an agonist with approximately equal affinity for the A1 and A2 receptors, produced biphasic effects on mepp frequency. Thus, a second adenosine receptor, perhaps of the A2 subtype, may be present on motor nerve terminals and may mediate an increase in spontaneous transmitter release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0042.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); D000818:Animals; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010660:Phenylisopropyladenosine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D058914:Purinergic Antagonists; D011894:Rana pipiens; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013806:Theophylline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D014970:Xanthines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D058914:Purinergic Antagonists; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; D014970:Xanthines; D010660:Phenylisopropyladenosine; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); C051360:1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine; D013806:Theophylline; C028322:8-phenyltheophylline; D000241:Adenosine; D000109:Acetylcholine