3,7-Dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine: a potent and selective in vivo antagonist of adenosine analogs.

3,7-Dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX), a caffeine analog that exhibits in vitro selectivity for A2-adenosine receptors, compared to A1-adenosine receptors, has now been investigated with respect to in vivo potency and selectivity. DMPX potently and selectively blocked the actions of the potent A2 adenosine agonist, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), in DBA/2 mice, compared to blockade of the same responses elicited by the selective A1-adenosine agonist, N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA). DMPX was 57-fold more potent versus NECA-induced hypothermia than versus CHA-induced hypothermia and 11-fold more potent versus NECA-induced behavioral depression than versus CHA-induced behavioral depression. The hypothermia is mediated by peripheral receptors, based on blockade by 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophylline (PSPT), while the behavioral depression is centrally mediated, based on lack of blockade by PSPT. DMPX was 28- and 15-fold more potent than caffeine in blocking peripheral and central NECA-responses, respectively. DMPX was equipotent with caffeine versus CHA-induced hypothermia and 2.5-fold more potent than caffeine versus CHA-induced behavioral depression. The motor stimulating potency of DMPX (ED50 10 mumol/kg) was slightly greater than caffeine.