Effects of adenosine and related compounds on adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP levels in smooth muscle.

The hypotheses were tested that the relaxant effect of adenosine and related compounds in the longitudinal muscle of the rabbit small intestine involves interaction with adenylate cyclase and/or the elevation of tissue cAMP levels. Adenylate cyclase was prepared by gentle homogenization of an isolated smooth muscle cell fraction obtained after collagenase digestion of longitudinal muscle strips. A number of analogs and derivatives of adenosine possessing a primary or secondary 6-amino group were found to inhibit the enzyme similarly to adenosine; however, there was no correlation between compounds known to relax the intact tissue and the existence, or the degree of, cyclase inhibition. Isolated muscle strips were exposed to adrenaline, isoprenaline, adenosine or ATP, at doses causing 30-60% relaxation, for 60 sec prior to sampling and analysis of cAMP content. While small increments in cAMP levels were found after administering adrenaline or isoprenaline, no change was found with adenosine in the absence or presence of theophylline of 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine. Neither adenylate cyclase inhibition nor changes in cAMP levels appear to be part of the mechanism of the smooth muscle relaxant action of adenosine or ATP.