Calmodulin antagonists inhibit adenosine uptake by rat brain cortical synaptosomes.

The purpose of these experiments was to determine if the adenosine uptake process in brain synaptosomes is regulated by calmodulin. Several calmodulin antagonists including trifluoperazine, W-7 and R24571 were tested for their ability to inhibit adenosine uptake by rat brain cortical synaptosomes. The results indicate that these agents inhibit adenosine uptake in a competitive manner. Their potencies as inhibitors of uptake were in good agreement with those reported for their inhibition of identified calmodulin regulated reactions. It is therefore concluded that the adenosine uptake process in rat brain synaptosomes is regulated by calmodulin or a calmodulin-like protein.