Volume and ion effects of adenosine on MDCK cells

Adenosine (ADO) receptors, both internal inhibitory (P-site) and external stimulatory (A2) and inhibitory (Al) have been shown to modulate adenylate cyclase levels. Since the authors have previously shown that cAMP modulates ion content and volume of confluent monolayers of MDCK epithelial cells, the authors investigated the effects of ADO on these parameters. Exposure of MDCK cells to 0.1 mM ADO significantly increased cell volumes (2.35 +/- .10 pL/cell vs. control 2.08 +/- .01; p < .001) as determined by 14C-urea distribution space, and increased Na content (133 +/- 13 vs. 91 +/- 11 nmol/106 cells; p < .0002). Cl- content also increased while K did not change. These effects were completely inhibited by treatment with the Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor amiloride (0.1 mM) and by incubation in Na-free media. Together these results suggest that cell volume increased due to Na+ entry via the Na+/H+ exchanger. However, 2-chloroadenosine (2CA), a potent analogue of ADO, caused a significant decrease in cell volume (1.99 +/- .86 vs. 2.21 +/- 0.13 pL/cell; p < .02) and Na (97 +/- 22 vs. 141 +/- 21 nmol/106 cells; p < .005). Measurement of cell cAMP by radioimmunoassay showed an increase in response to 2CA but not to ADO. Since the effects of 2CA mimic those of exogenous cAMP, MDCK cells appear to have a stimulatory (A2) receptor. However, ADO itself did not interact with this receptor and may have produced its effects by binding to a higher affinity, inhibitory receptor