Adenosine A(1), A(2a), A(2b), and A(3) receptors in hematopoiesis. 1. Expression of receptor mRNA in four mouse hematopoietic precursor cells.

Four mouse bone marrow or thymus cell populations, namely granulopoietic/monocytopoietic, erythropoietic, B-lymphopoietic, and T-lymphopoietic precursor cells have been assayed by RT-PCR technique for the presence and relative amounts of adenosine A(1), A(2a), A(2b), and A(3) receptor mRNA. It has been found that (i) all four populations studied express all four adenosine receptor subtypes, (ii) the A(1), receptor is the least expressed in all populations studied, (iii) the A(3) receptor is markedly expressed in the populations of granulopoietic/monocytopoietic and erythropoietic cells, (iv) the A(2a) receptor is markedly expressed in the populations of B-lymphopoietic and T-lymphopoietic cells, and v) the A(2b) receptor does not predominate in any of the precursor cells studied. Our data offer a new possibility for the assessment of the readiness of these cells to respond, by receptor-mediated mechanisms, to adenosine or its analogs present in the tissues as a result of endogenous processes and/or following their administration.