Cyclic nucleotide metabolism and vasodilation in canine mesenteric artery

The uptake and extracellular and intracellular metabolism of radioisotopically labelled cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP) was determined in canine mesenteric arteries incubated in vitro. Intracellular tissue uptake was measured by radioisotope counting and labeled metabolites separated by thin-layer chromatography. Extracellularly, cAMP was extensively metabolized to AMP, adenosine, and P(i). DBcAMP was metabolized to monobutyryl cAMP (MBcAMP) intracellularly. Vasodilation of the mesenteric circulation in vivo was produced by cAMP, its metabolites and DBcAMP. DBcAMP caused greater vasodilation than cAMP but had a response time to its peak effect of 12 min versus 90 s for cAMP. The vasodilator properties of cAMP and DBcAMP were related to their metabolism. It was concluded that the vasodilation caused by cAMP was due to cAMP metabolites produced by extracellular metabolism.