Does cyclic 3' ,5'-adenosine monophosphate act as second messenger in a voltage-dependent response to 5-hydroxytryptamine in Aplysia?

1 The possibility that cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) mediates a voltage-dependent inward current elicited by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in RB and LB cells of the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia was tested. 2 Intracellular injection of cyclic AMP elicited an inward current with a similar time course, potential dependence and ionic sensitivity as the response to 5-HT. 3 Intracellular injection of guanylyl imidodiphosphate (GMP-PNP), which activated adenylate cyclase, neither mimicked nor enhanced the 5-HT-evoked current. On the contrary, it reduced the current. 4 The phosphodiesterase inhibitors, Ro20-1724, isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX) and theophylline, each antagonized the voltage-dependent response to 5-HT. To varying degrees they each induced an inward current. 5 The adenylate cyclase antagonist, dithiobisnitrobenzoic acic (DTNB), had no effect on the response to 5-HT when applied either intracellularly or extracellularly. Intracellular injection of the phosphodiesterase activator imidazole also had no effect. 6 Tubocurarine and neostigmine did not reduce the voltage-dependent inward current evoked by 5-HT; methysergide elicited an inward current. 7 Although the observations that cyclic AMP and 5-HT can evoke similar voltage-dependent inward currents in RB and LB neurones of Aplysia might suggest a second messenger role for the cyclic nucleotide, the pharmacological data are inconsistent with this hypothesis.