Differential modulation by extracellular ATP of carotid chemosensory responses

The possibility that the carotid body has ATP surface receptors that mediate O2 chemoreception was tested. To distinguish between the event(s) initiating chemoreception and those at the neurotransmitter level, we also tested the chemosensory response to nicotine before and after ATP administration. Carotid bodies from cats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium were perfused and superfused in vitro with modified Tyrode solution (PCO2 < 1 Torr, pH 7.4, 36 degrees C) equilibrated at PO2 > 400 or approximately 150 Torr while chemosensory discharge was recorded extracellularly. ATP and adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate stimulated discharge with similar dose dependence, whereas adenosine had little effect. ATP infusion for > or = 2 min evoked an initial stimulation of discharge followed by a decline to baseline (desensitization). Desensitization did not affect the response to hypoxia (perfusate flow interruption) but inhibited the response to nicotine (4-nmol pulse). Therefore, 1) the carotid body has surface ATP receptors that may mediate the chemosensory response to nicotine but not to hypoxia and 2) nicotinic receptors are not required for carotid body O2 chemoreception.