Phosphatase inhibitor cantharidin blocks adenosine A(1) receptor anti-adrenergic effect in rat cardiac myocytes.

Experiments were performed to examine whether the protein phosphatase inhibitor cantharidin blocks the anti-adrenergic effect of adenosine A(1) receptor stimulation. In electrically stimulated adult rat ventricular myocytes loaded with the intracellular calcium concentration (Ca(2+)) indicator fluo-3, isoproterenol (10 nM) increased systolic Ca(2+) by 46%, increased twitch amplitude by 56%, and increased total cellular cAMP content by 140%. The adenosine A(1) receptor agonist 2-chloro-N(6)-cyclopentlyadenosine (CCPA) reduced isoproterenol-stimulated Ca(2+) and contractility by 87 and 80%, respectively, but reduced cAMP content by only 18%. Cantharidin had no effects on myocyte Ca(2+), contractility, or cAMP in the absence or presence of isoproterenol but blocked the effects of CCPA on Ca(2+) and contractility by approximately 44%. Cantharidin had no effect on CCPA attenuation of isoproterenol-induced increases in cAMP. Pretreatment with CCPA also reduced the increase in contractile parameters produced by the direct cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activator 8-bromocAMP. These results suggest that activation of protein phosphatases mediate, in part, the anti-adrenergic effect of adenosine A(1) receptor activation in ventricular myocardium.