Improvement of cold tolerance by selective A1 adenosine receptor antagonists in rats

Previously we have shown that the improvement of cold tolerance by theophylline is due to antagonism at adenosine receptors rather than inhibition of phosphodiesterase. Since theophylline is a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist for both A1 and A2 receptors, the present study investigated the adenosine receptor subtype involved in theophylline's action. Acute systemic injection of selective A1 receptor antagonists (1,3-dialkyl-8-aryl or 1,3-dialkyl-8-cyclopentyl xanthine derivatives) significantly increased both the total and maximal heat production as well as cold tolerance. In contrast, injection of a relatively selective A2 receptor antagonist, 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (compound No. 19), failed to significantly alter the thermogenic response of the rat under cold exposure. Further, the relative effectiveness of these compounds in increasing total thermogenesis was positively correlated with their potency in blocking the A1 adenosine receptor (r = .52, p less than 0.01), but not in A2 adenosine receptor (r = .20, p less than 0.2). It is likely that the thermally beneficial effects of adenosine A1 antagonists are due to their attenuation of the inhibitory effects of endogenously released adenosine on lipolysis and glucose utilization, resulting in increased substrate mobilization and utilization for enhanced thermogenesis.