P2 purinoceptor regulation of mucin release by airway goblet cells in primary culture

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Abstract
The effects of adenine analogues on mucin release by airway goblet cells have been examined in a hamster primary tracheal epithelial cell culture. Adenosine, a P1 receptor agonist, had no effect on mucin release even at 2 mm, while ATP, a P2 receptor agonist, stimulated mucin release in a dose‐dependent fashion with an apparent EC50 of 20μm. The relative potency order among adenine nucleotides was ATP > ADP > AMP = adenosine. ATPγS, a non‐hydrolyzable analogue of ATP, was equipotent with ATP in stimulating mucin release. The potency order among some ATP analogues was ATP > 2‐methylthio ATP > α,β‐methylene ATP > β,γ‐methylene ATP. Reactive blue 2, a putative P2y‐purinoceptor antagonist, did not block the ATP‐induced mucin release. The present results indicate that mucin release by airway goblet cells is stimulated by extracellular ATP via P2 receptor‐mediated mechanism. We suggest that this mechanism may be important in the physiological regulation of airway goblet cell mucin release in vivo.