Extracellular ATP perturbs transmembrane ion fluxes, elevates cytosolic [Ca2+], and inhibits phagocytosis in mouse macrophages.

In addition to its important role in intracellular metabolic pathways, ATP appears to function as a neurotransmitter in mammalian neurones. The extracellular effects of ATP are not restricted to neurones. We describe the effects of ATP on transmembrane fluxes of monovalent and divalent cations and on phagocytosis in the J774 mouse macrophage cell line and in mouse macrophages elicited by intraperitoneal injection of thioglycollate broth. Of all nucleotides tested, only ATP is capable of depolarizing the macrophage plasma membrane potential, promoting Na+ influx and K+ efflux, effecting an increase in intracellular free Ca2+, and inhibiting phagocytosis. Nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs had no effect on membrane permeability or phagocytosis. The effect mediated by ATP is not accompanied by an increase in membrane permeability to nucleotides, indicating that the action of ATP is restricted to the external surface of macrophages.