Endogenous adenosine inhibits evoked substance p release from perifused networks of myenteric ganglia. Moneta, N. A., T. J. McDonald, and M. A. Cook. Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medicine and Robarts Research, Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
APStracts 3:0150G, 1996.
Isolated myenteric ganglion networks were prepared from guinea pig ileum and were used in a perifusion protocol to examine the effects of interstitial adenosine on evoked release of Substance P-like immunoreactivity. The release of SP-LI evoked by elevated extracellular K+ concentration, was increased in the presence of TTX indicating tonic inhibition of SP-LI release and revealing net inhibitory interganglionic transmission. Perifusion in the presence of the adenosine A1 receptor-selective antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8 -cyclopentylxanthine (DPCPX) enhanced evoked SP-LI release which was further enhanced in the additional presence of TTX indicating that adenosine contributes some, but not all, of the overall inhibitory tone within the networks. In addition to neural release of adenosine per se, an additional source was investigated. Perifusion in the presence of [alpha], -methylene-ADP plus 5'-GMP, which inhibits ectoATPase activity, enhanced SP-LI release indicating that hydrolysis of released ATP contributes to the total interstitial nucleoside concentration and thereby to the overall inhibitory tone. It is concluded that endogenous adenosine, some of which arises from ATP metabolism, is an important contributor to the overall inhibitory tone present in myenteric ganglion networks.

Received 5 December 1995; accepted in final form 26 July 1996.
APS Manuscript Number G512-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Gastrointest. Liver
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 21 August 1996