Alpha 2 adrenergic amines, adenosine and prostaglandins inhibit lipolysis and cyclic AMP accumulation in hamster adipocytes in the absence of extracellular sodium

The accumulation of cyclic AMP due to adenosine deaminase plus theophylline and either isoproterenol or ACTH in the presence of adenosine deaminase plus theophylline, was inhibited by clonidine, N⁶-(phenylisopropyl)-adenosine and prostaglandin E₂. The inhibition was nearly identical in medium containing sodium ions or in medium in which sodium and its accompanying anion were substituted by an isosmotic amount of sucrose. Consistent with this, lipolysis induced by adenosine deaminase and theophylline was significantly inhibited by clonidine, N⁶-(phenylisopropyl)-adenosine and prostaglandin E₂ regardless of the presence or absence of Na⁺ in the medium. The results do not support the suggestion that extracellular Na⁺ is required for the regulation of cyclic AMP levels by hormones and neurotransmitters that inhibit adenylate cyclase.