Adenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate in fetal rat brain cell cultures. I. Effect of catecholamines.

Abstract

The effects of various neurohormones and other chemical agents on intracellular levels of adenosine cyclic 39,59-monophosphate were evaluated in surface cultures of fetal rat brain cells. Treatment of cells with dopamine, prostaglandin F2α ,5-hydroxytryptamine, or KCl was without effect on cyclic AMP levels. Increases were found following exposure to adenosine, prostaglandin E1 , norepinephrine, or isoproterenol. The catecholamines were considerably more effective than the other compounds, causing up to a 100-fold increase in cyclic AMP content. This maximal response was not affected by 1 mM theophylline, was blocked by the beta adrenergic antagonists sotalol and dichloroisoproterenol, and was maximal after 5-15 min of exposure of the cells to the catecholamine. The response to isoproterenol developed during culture; its magnitude increased to a maximum after about 14 days in culture.