P1 (Adenosine) Purinoceptor Assays

Increased Gi protein signaling potentiates the negative chronotropic effect of adenosine in the SHR right atrium

Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which have been associated with dysfunction of sympathetic and purinergic neurotransmission. Therefore, herein, we evaluated whether modifications of adenosine receptor signaling may contribute to the cardiac dysfunction observed in hypertension. Isolated right atria from spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) or normotensive Wistar rats (NWR) were used to investigate the influence of adenosine receptor signaling cascade in the cardiac chronotropism. Our results showed that adenosine, the endogenous agonist of adenosine receptors, and CPA, a selective agonist of A₁ receptor, decreased the atrial chronotropism of NWR and SHR in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, culminating in cardiac arrest (0 bpm). Interestingly, a 3-fold lower concentration of adenosine was required to induce the negative chronotropic effect in SHR atria. Pre-incubation of tissues from both strains with DPCPX, a selective A₁ receptor antagonist, inhibited the negative chronotropic effect of CPA, while simultaneous inhibition of A₂ and A₃ receptors, with ZM241385 and MRS1523, did not change the adenosine chronotropic effects. Moreover, 1 μg/ml pertussis toxin, which inactivates the Gαi protein subunit, reduced by 80% the negative chronotropic effects of adenosine in the NWR atrium, with minor effects in SHR tissue. These data indicate that the negative chronotropic effect of adenosine in right atrium depends exclusively on the activation of A₁ receptors. Moreover, the distinct responsiveness of NWR and SHR atria to pertussis toxin reveals that the enhanced negative chronotropic response of SHR right atrium is probably due to an increased activity of Gαi protein-mediated.

Would calcium or potassium channels be responsible for cardiac arrest produced by adenosine and ATP in the right atria of Wistar rats?

Autonomic nerves release ATP, which is processed into adenosine in the synaptic cleft. Adenosine and ATP exert a negative chronotropic effect in the heart. This study aims to evaluate adenosine and P2 receptors and cellular signalling in cardiac arrest produced by purines in the heart. Right atria of adult Wistar rats were used to evaluate the effects of adenosine, ATP and CPA (an adenosine A1 receptor agonist), in the presence and absence of DPCPX, an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist. Effects of adenosine A2 and A3 receptors agonists and antagonists were also investigated. Finally, involvement of calcium and potassium channels in these responses was assessed using BayK 8644 and 4-Aminopyridine. Cumulative concentration-effect curves of adenosine and CPA resulted in a negative chronotropic effect culminating in cardiac arrest at 1000μM (adenosine) and 1µM (CPA). Furthermore, ATP produced a negative chronotropic effect at 1-300µM and cardiac arrest at 1000μM in the right atrium. ATPγS (a non-hydrolysable analogue of ATP) reduced chronotropism only. The effects of adenosine, CPA and ATP were inhibited by DPCPX, a selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist. The selective adenosine A2 and A3 receptors antagonists did not alter the chronotropic response of adenosine. 4-Aminopyridine, a blocker of potassium channels at 10mM, prevented the cardiac arrest produced by adenosine and ATP, while BayK 8644, activator of calcium channels, did not prevent cardiac arrest. Adenosine A1 receptor activation by adenosine and ATP produces cardiac arrest in the right atrium of Wistar rats predominantly through activation of potassium channels.