Adenosine does not save the heart of anoxia-tolerant vertebrates during prolonged oxygen deprivation.

Despite adenosine being regarded as an important signaling molecule capable of coordinating ATP supply and demand during periods of oxygen deprivation in anoxia-intolerant mammals, the importance of adenosinergic cardiovascular control in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates is poorly understood. Here, we report on adenosinergic cardiovascular control during normoxia and prolonged (hours to days) oxygen deprivation for three vertebrate species tolerant of severe hypoxia/anoxia, the closely related common (Cyprinus carpio) and crucian (Carassius carassius) carp, and the freshwater turtle (Trachemys scripta). Using an intra-arterial injection of the non-specific adenosine receptor antagonist aminophylline while measuring cardiac output (Q), heart rate (f(H)) and arterial blood pressure, we establish that adenosinergic cardiovascular control is unimportant during prolonged anoxia in the freshwater turtle (6 h at 21 degrees C and 14 d at 5 degrees C) and the crucian carp (5 d at 8 degrees C). In contrast, adenosinergic control contributes to the down-regulation of cardiac activity exhibited by 5 degrees C-acclimated common carp during a 12.5 h severe hypoxia (<0.3 mg O2 l(-1)) exposure. Specifically, aminophylline injection resulted in significant increases in f(H) and Q, and a decrease in total peripheral resistance. These species-specific differences in adenosinergic cardiovascular control during prolonged periods of oxygen deprivation may be related to differences displayed by these three species in their anoxia tolerance and survival strategies.