Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) receptors induce intracellular calcium changes in mouse leydig cells.

Cytoplasmic calcium (Ca(2+)) changes evoked by adenosine 5(1)-triphosphate (ATP) were recorded in cultured individual Leydig cells within 10-18 h after cell dispersion. Ca(2+) was monitored using Fura-2AM loaded cells with a digital ratio imaging system. Five micromolars ATP induced biphasic Ca(2+) responses in most cells (94%,n=100), characterized by a fast increase from a basal level (126±5 nMSE,n=60 cells) to a peak (5-7 times above basal levels) within seconds, followed by a slow decrease toward a plateau level (2-3 times above basal) within 5 min. The peak phase of the Ca(2+) response increased with ATP concentrations (1-100 μM ATP) in a dose-dependent manner with an IC(50) of 5.9±1.2 μM, and it desensitized in a reversible manner with repeated application of 5 μM ATP at <5-min intervals. The Ca(2+) peak response was dependent on Ca(2+) release from an intracellular pool, whereas the plateau phase was dependent on extracellular [Ca(2+)]. ATP did not appear to induce formation of nonspecific membrane pores, since stimulation for 10 min with ATP (10-100 μM) in the presence of extracellular Lucifer yellow (LY) (5 mg/mL) did not result in dye loading of the cells. Ca(2+) transients were elicited by other adenosine nucleotides with an order of potencies (ATP>Adenosine diphosphate [ADP]>Adenosine> Adenosine monophosphate [AMP]) that was compatible with the expression of P(2) receptors. Ca(2+) responses were suppressed by the purinergic P(2) receptor antagonist, suramin. These results provide functional evidence for the expression of purinergic P(2) receptors in Leydig cells.