CHARACTERIZATION OF P2-PURINOCEPTOR MEDIATED CYCLIC-AMP FORMATION IN MOUSE C2C12 MYOTUBES

1 The formation of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) a nd inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3), induced by ATP and oth er nucleotides was investigated in mouse C2Cl2 myotubes. 2 ATP (100 mu M) and ATPgammaS (100 muM) caused a sustained increase in cyclic AMP c ontent of the cells, reaching a maximum after 10 min. The cyclic AMP c ontent reached a maximum in the presence of 100 muM ATP, followed by a decline at higher ATP concentrations. ATP-induced cyclic AMP formatio n was inhibited by the P2-purinoceptor antagonist, suramin. 3 Myotubes hydrolysed ATP to ADP at a rate of 9.7 +/- 1.0 nmol mg-1 protein min- 1. However, further hydrolysis of ADP to AMP and adenosine was negligi ble. 4 The cyclic AMP formation induced by ADP (10 muM - 1 mm) showed similar characteristics to that induced by ATP, but a less pronounced decline was observed than with ATP. ADP-induced cyclic AMP formation w as blocked by suramin, while cyclic AMP formation elicited by adenosin e (10 muM - 1 mm) was insensitive to suramin. 5 The ATP analogue, alph a,beta-methylene-ATP also induced a suramin-sensitive cyclic AMP forma tion, while 2-methylthio-ATP and the pyrimidine, UTP, did not affect c yclic AMP levels. 6 Stimulation of the myotubes with ATP or UTP (10 mu M - 1 mm) caused a concentration-dependent increase in the Ins(1,4,5)P 3 content of the cells. ADP (100 muM - 1 mm) was less effective. Adeno sine did not affect Ins(1,4,5)P3 levels. 7 Incubation of the cells wit h UTP (30 muM - 1 mm) inhibited the ATP- and ADP-induced cyclic AMP fo rmation, suggesting that stimulation of the 'nucleotide' type P2-recep tor inhibits P2-purinoceptor mediated cyclic AMP formation in C2Cl2 my otubes. In contrast, UTP (30 muM - 1 mm) enhanced adenosine-induced cy clic AMP formation. 8 Adenosine-sensitive P1-purinoceptors activating cyclic AMP formation were found in C2Cl2 myotubes. Further, a novel P2 -purinoceptor is postulated, sensitive to ATP, ADP and ATPgammaS, whic h also activates the formation of cyclic AMP in C2Cl2 myotubes.