Uptake and release of adenosine in isolated rat fat cells

Radioactively labelled adenosine and adenine were rapidly taken up by isolated rat fat cells, and incorporated into nucleotides, of which ATP dominated. The overall process had an apparent Km of 1--5 micrometers. During incubation, especially in the presence of lipolytic agents, there was a reduction in labelled ATP with a compensatory increase in ADP, AMP, cAMP and nucleosides. The build-up of adenosine during incubation was inhibited by theophylline, which inhibits 5'-nucleotidase. Radioactivity released from perifused fat cells consisted mainly of nucleoside material, of which adenosine predominated. Lipolytic stimulation caused no significant increase in nucleoside outflow from perifused cells, whereas oxygenation was capable of reducing this outflow. It is concluded that adenosine is formed by fat cells as a consequence of ATP breakdown. Stimulation of lipolysis during activation of the sympathetic nerves leads to reversible ATP breakdown and adenosine release. Adenosine might therefore act as a modulator of lipolysis in vivo under these conditions, even though it does not serve as a feed back regulator in the proper sense.