Adenosine inhibits phenylephrine activation of phospholipase A in hamster brown adipocytes

Exposure of brown adipocytes to phenylephrine activates a phospholipase A2 producing arachidonic acid and lysophospholipids. When adipocytes were incubated with adenosine deaminase, a greater release of arachidonic acid and accumulation of lysophosphatidyl-choline in response to phenylephrine was noted. The potentiating effect of adenosine deaminase was also observed in the presence of A23187 and for both stimuli, the effect of adenosine deaminase was reversed by phenylisopropyladenosine. These results suggest the presence of an heretofore unrecognized action of adenosine, namely inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity in brown fat cells.