Modification of cardiovascular response of adenosine A2 receptor agonist by adenylate cyclase in the spinal cord of rats

The potential role of adenosine signaling in the pathogenesis of melanoma

Melanoma cancer cell proliferation, motility, invasion, and tumor growth is affected by the adenosine pathway that consists of adenosine-synthesizing enzymes, receptors, and their respective agonists/antagonists. Accumulating evidence suggests that ischemia and inflammation, two conditions associated with melanoma, display dysregulated adenosine metabolism, which implicates it as the mechanism responsible for the pathogenesis of melanoma, thereby resulting in advanced diagnosis and therapy. Suppression of adenosine signaling by inhibiting adenosine receptors or adenosine-generating enzymes (CD39 and CD73) on melanoma cells presents a novel therapeutic target for patients with melanoma. This review summarizes the role of adenosine signaling in the pathogenesis of melanoma to advance its understanding and hence improve therapeutics and management.

Therapeutic potential of A2 adenosine receptor pharmacological regulators in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, recent progress, and prospective

Adenosine and its analogs are of particular interest as potential therapeutic agents for treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A2 adenosine receptor subtypes (A2a and A2b) are extensively expressed in cardiovascular system, and modulation of these receptors using A2 adenosine receptor agonists or antagonists regulates heart rate, blood pressure, heart rate variability, and cardiovascular toxicity during both normoxia and hypoxia conditions. Regulation of A2 adenosine receptor signaling via specific and novel pharmacological regulators is a potentially novel therapeutic approach for a better understanding and hence a better management of CVDs. This review summarizes the role of pharmacological A2 adenosine receptor regulators in the pathogenesis of CVDs.

Involvement of guanylate cyclase in the cardiovascular response induced by adenosine A2B receptor stimulation in the posterior hypothalamus of the anesthetized rats

Cardiovascular inhibitory effects induced by the posterior hypothalamic adenosine A(2) receptors were suggested by our previous reports. In this experiment, we examined the influence of the posterior hypothalamic adenosine A(2B) receptors on central cardiovascular regulation of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Posterior hypothalamic injection of drugs was performed in anesthetized, artificially ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats. Injection of 5'-(N-cyclopropyl)-carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA; 2 nmol), an adenosine A(2) receptor agonist, showed the decrease of arterial blood pressure and heart rate, and the alloxazine, an adenosine A(2B) receptor antagonist, partially blocked the depressor and bradycardiac effects of CPCA (2 nmol). To examine the role of adenosine A(2B) receptors among the adenosine A(2) subtypes, we applied the 5'-N-Ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), an adenosine A(2B) receptor agonist, to the posterior hypothalamus. Injection of NECA (1, 4 and 8 nmol) produced a dose-dependent decrease of arterial blood pressure and HR. Pretreatment with alloxazine (5 nmol) partially blocked the depressor and bradycardiac effects of NECA (4 nmol). Also, pretreatment with LY-83,583 (5 nmol), a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, attenuated the depressor and bradycardiac effects of NECA (4 nmol). However, pretreatment with MDL-12,330 (10 nmol), an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, did not affect these effects of NECA (4 nmol). These results suggest that adenosine A(2B) receptor in the posterior hypothalamus plays an inhibitory role in central cardiovascular regulation, and that guanylate cyclase mediates the depressor and bradycardiac actions of adenosine A(2B) receptors.

ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channels Are Involved in Adenosine-Induced Reduction of Blood Pressure Variability in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

With a computerized analysis system, blood pressure was recorded continuously in conscious unrestrained spontaneously hypertensive rats. The effects of different adenosine receptor agonists and ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener and blocker on blood pressure variability in spontaneously hypertensive rats were studied. It was found that adenosine, 5'-N-cyclopropyl-carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA, a selective adenosine A2-receptor agonist) and pinacidil (a nonselective ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener) decreased blood pressure variability when one of them was used alone, whereas N -cyclopentyladenosine (CPA, a selective adenosine A1-receptor agonist) had no significant effects on blood pressure variability. When pretreated with glibenclamide (a nonselective ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker), the inhibitory effects of adenosine and CPCA on blood pressure variability were significantly prevented. By itself, however, glibenclamide had no influence on blood pressure variability. These results suggest that the effect of adenosine on blood pressure variability in spontaneously hypertensive rats is due to activation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels mediated by adenosine A2-receptor.

The role of intraspinal adenosine A1 receptors in sympathetic regulation

Using a splanchnic nerve-spinal cord preparation in vitro, we have previously demonstrated that tonic sympathetic activity is generated from the thoracic spinal cord. Here, we sought to determine if adenosine receptors play a role in modulating this spinally generated sympathetic activity. Various adenosine analogs were applied. N6-Cyclopentyladenosine (CPA, adenosine A1 receptor agonist) and 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA, adenosine A1/A2 receptor agonist) reduced, while N6-[2-(4-aminophenyl)ethyl]adenosine (APNEA, non-selective adenosine A3 receptor agonist) did not alter sympathetic activity. The inhibitory effect of CPA or NECA on sympathetic activity was reversed by 8-cyclopentyltheophylline (CPT, adenosine A1 receptor antagonist) or abolished by CPT pretreatment. In the presence of 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX, adenosine A2 receptor antagonist), sympathetic activity was still reduced by CPA or NECA. Sympathetic activities were not changed by applications of the more selective adenosine A2 or A3 receptor agonists or antagonists, including 4-[2-[[6-amino-9-(N-ethyl-beta-D-ribofuranuronamidosyl)-9H-purin-2-yl]amino]ethyl]benzenepropanoic acid (CGS21680), 4-(2-[7-amino-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[2,3-a][1,3,5]triazin-5-ylamino]ethyl)phenol (ZM241385), 2-chloro-N6-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide (Chloro-IB-MECA), and 3-ethyl-5-benzyl-2-methyl-4-phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4-(+/-)-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS1191). These findings exclude a possible involvement of A2 or A3 receptors in sympathetic regulation at the spinal levels. Interestingly, CPT alone did not affect sympathetic activity, suggesting that adenosine A1 receptors are endogenously quiescent under our experimental conditions. We conclude that intraspinal adenosine A1 receptors may down-regulate sympathetic outflow and serve as a part of the scheme for neuroprotection.

Input-specific modulation of neurotransmitter release in the lateral horn of the spinal cord via adenosine receptors

Activation of adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) in the CNS produces a variety of neuromodulatory actions dependent on the region and preparation examined. In autonomic regions of the spinal cord, A1R activation decreases excitatory synaptic transmission, but the effects of A2AR stimulation are unknown. We sought to determine the location and function of the A2ARs in the thoracic spinal cord, focusing on the intermediolateral cell column (IML). A2AR immunoreactivity was observed throughout the gray matter, with particularly dense immunostaining in regions containing sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs), namely, the IML and intercalated nucleus. Electron microscopy revealed A2AR immunoreactivity within presynaptic terminals and in postsynaptic structures in the IML. To study the functional relevance of these A2ARs, visualized whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from electrophysiologically identified SPNs and interneurons within the IML. The A2AR agonist c2-[p-(carboxyethyl)phenethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxyamidoadenosine (CGS 21680) had no significant effect on EPSPs but increased the amplitude of IPSPs elicited by stimulation of the lateral funiculus. These effects were attributable to activation of presynaptic A2ARs because CGS 21680 application altered the paired pulse ratio. Furthermore, neurons in the IML that have IPSPs increased via A2AR activation also receive excitatory inputs that are inhibited by A1R activation. These data show that activating A2ARs increase inhibitory but not excitatory transmission onto neurons in the IML. Simultaneous activation of A1Rs and A2ARs therefore could facilitate inhibition of the postsynaptic neuron, leading to an overall reduction of sympathetic nervous activity.

Modification of cardiovascular response of posterior hypothalamic adenosine A(2) receptor stimulation by adenylate cylase, guanylate cyclase and by K(ATP) channel blockade in anesthetized rats

Cardiovascular inhibitory effects induced by posterior hypothalamic adenosine A(2) receptors and their modulation by nitric oxide were suggested by our previous report. In this experiment, we examined the modulation of cardiovascular effects of adenosine A(2) receptor stimulation by adenylate cyclase, guanylate cyclase and ATP-sensitive K(+) channel in the posterior hypothalamus. Posterior hypothalamic injection of drugs was performed in anesthetized, artificially ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats. Injection of adenosine A(2) receptor agonist 5'-(N-cyclopropyl)-carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA; 1, 2 and 5 nmol) produced a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure and heart rate. Pretreatment with adenosine A(2) receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (10 nmol) blocked the depressor and bradycardiac effects of CPCA (5 nmol). Pretreatments with adenylate cyclase inhibitor MDL-12330 (10 nmol) and guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY-83583 (5 nmol) attenuated the depressor and bradycardiac effects of CPCA (5 nmol). In addition, pretreatment with ATP-sensitive K(+) channel blocker glipizide (20 nmol) attenuated the depressor and bradycardiac responses of CPCA (5 nmol). These results suggest that posterior hypothalamic adenosine A(2) receptors play an inhibitory role in the central cardiovascular regulation and that both adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase mediate the depressor and bradycardiac actions of adenosine A(2) receptors. Also, ATP-sensitive K(+) channel mediates the posterior hypothalamic cardiovascular regulations of adenosine A(2) receptors.

The involvement of nitric oxide on the adenosine A(2) receptor-induced cardiovascular inhibitory responses in the posterior hypothalamus of rats

This study was performed to investigate the putative relationship between nitric oxide (NO) and adenosine A(2) receptors on central cardiovascular regulation in the posterior hypothalamus of rats. Posterior hypothalamic injection of drugs was performed in anesthetized, artificially ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats. Injection of adenosine A(2) receptor agonist 5'-(N-cyclopropyl)-carboxamidoadenosine (CPCA; 1, 2 and 5 nmol) produced a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure and heart rate. Pretreatment with adenosine A(2) receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (10 nmol) blocked the depressor and bradycardiac effects of CPCA (5 nmol). Pretreatment with soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY-83,583 (5 nmol) attenuated the depressor and bradycardiac effects of CPCA (5 nmol). In addition, pretreatment with NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (40 nmol) attenuated the depressor and bradycardiac responses of CPCA (5 nmol). These results suggest that adenosine A(2) receptor in the posterior hypothalamus plays an inhibitory role in central cardiovascular regulation and that NO participates in the inhibitory response induced by adenosine A(2) receptor stimulation in the posterior hypothalamus.