Pertussis toxin blocks the inhibitory effect of adenosine on rat cerebral cortical neurons.
Rat cerebral cortex was injected with 2 micrograms of purified pertussis toxin, which inactivates various guanine nucleotide-dependent regulatory proteins. The spontaneous firing of cortical neurons in toxin-treated animals was unresponsive to adenosine or adenosine 5'-N-ethylcarboxamide applied iontophoretically in comparison with the pronounced inhibitory effects of these purines observed on neurons in the contralateral, saline-injected, hemisphere. Excitatory effects of acetylcholine were also reduced in the toxin-treated cortex. These findings implicate guanine nucleotide-dependent regulatory proteins (G proteins) in the inhibitory actions of adenosine on transmitter release.
Department of Physiology, Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201.
M H
MH
O'Regan
J W
JW
Phillis
D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D019830:Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide); D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D000241:Adenosine