Interactions between catecholamines, methyl xanthines and adenosine in regulation of cyclic AMP accumulation in hamster adipocytes.

In the presence of either methyl xanthines or adenosine deaminase, isoproterenol elicited large dramatic increases in accumulation of cyclic AMPP. In contrast, cyclic AMP accumulation in response to epinephrine or norepinephrine was not potentiated by either methyl xanthines or by adenosine deaminase. Blocking the alpha adrenergic activity of norepinephrine and epinephrine with phentolamine established synergism between these catecholamines and methyl xanthines and adenosine deaminase. The activity of the particulate phosphodiesterase was not influenced by norepinephrine suggesting that the lack of synergism between the catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine and methyl xanthines is unrelated to this enzyme. The data are interpreted to suggest that the alpha adrenergic activity of catecholamines prevents the potentiation of cyclic AMP accumulation that occurs when the action of endogenously produced adenosine is interfered with, either by its degradation with adenosine deaminase or by receptor blockade with methyl xanthine. Because a major action of adenosine on fat cells is to inhibit adenylate cyclase it is suggested that alpha adrenergic receptor activation limits the extent to which the enzyme adenylate cyclase can be activated in a fashion similar to that of adenosine.