Coupling of a transfected human brain A1 adenosine receptor in CHO-K1 cells to calcium mobilisation via a pertussis toxin-sensitive mechanism.

1. The presence of A1 adenosine receptors in CHO-K1 cells transfected with the human brain A1 sequence was confirmed by ligand binding studies using 8-cyclopentyl-[3H] 1,3-dipropylxanthine ([3H]-DPCPX). 2. Alterations in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) were measured with the calcium-sensitive dye, fura-2. 3. N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA), the selective A1 agonist, and 5'-N-ethylcarboxaminoadenosine (NECA), a relatively non-selective adenosine receptor agonist, elicited rapid, biphasic increases in [Ca2+]i which involved both mobilisation from intracellular stores and calcium entry. 4. The calcium response to CPA was significantly inhibited by the selective A1 antagonist DPCPX. The non-selective adenosine receptor, xanthine amino congener (XAC), was less potent. 5. The calcium response to CPA was completely prevented by pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin implicating the involvement of Gi in the receptor-mediated response. 6. In summary, we present evidence for the coupling of transfected human brain A1 adenosine receptors in CHO-K1 cells to mobilisation of [Ca2+]i via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.