Inhibition of neutrophil-myocyte adhesion and adhesion-dependent myocyte injury by adenosine was evaluated using isolated TNF-alpha-activated canine cells. Adenosine inhibited adhesion of activated neutrophils to cardiac myocytes with an IC50 of 11 +/- 4 nM. Inhibition of neutrophil adhesion (92 +/-3% by 100 nM adenosine) led to inhibition of myocyte injury (by 90 +/- 6%, as assessed by dye exclusion). Inhibition of cell adhesion by adenosine was blocked by the A2 antagonist, 1,3-dimethyl-1-propylxanthine, but not by the A1 antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine. Moreover, the A2 agonist, CGS21680 (2-[4-(2-carboxymethyl)phenethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamido adenosine), but not the A1 agonist, N6-cyclopentyladenosine, mimicked adenosine in preventing cell adhesion. These observations implicate the A2 receptor in the mechanism of inhibition of cell adhesion. pretreatment and washing of neutrophils, but not cardiac myocytes, with adenosine or CGS21680 led to inhibition of adhesion, suggesting that the neutrophil A2 receptor is the target of adenosine's action. In contrast, inhibition of cell adhesion by adenosine was poteniated by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (IC50 = 4 +/- 1 nM) and attenuated by N6-cyclopentyladenosine, suggesting that occupancy of A1 receptors can conversely increase cell adhesion. Neutrophil-myocyte adhesion was inhibited by acadesine (IC50 = 12 +/- 2 microM) also via an adenosine-dependent mechanism because it was blocked by 1,3-dimethyl-1-propylxanthine or adenosine deaminase, an enzyme that degrades any adenosine that is formed. Acadesine-induced inhibition if cell adhesion (83 +/- 4% by 100 microM) resulted in inhibition of myocyte injury (by 76 +/- 6%). Other adenosine-regulating agents, including the acadesine analogue, GP531 (5-amino-1 beta-D-(5-benzylamino-5-deoxyribofuranosyl) imidazole-4-carboxamide), and inhibitors of adenosine transport and intracellular metabolism also inhibited cell adhesion. These results indicate that exogenous or endogenous adenosine can inhibit neutrophil-myocyte adhesion and injury in cells activated with TNF-alpha by an A2-mediated mechanism. Although the predominant activity of adenosine is to attenuate cell adhesion, stimulation of A1 receptors has the opposite effect, i.e., to augment adhesive interactions.