ADP and ATP, in the 1-100 microM range of concentrations, increased the formation of inositol phosphates in bovine aortic endothelial cells. The accumulation of inositol trisphosphate in response to adenine nucleotides was rapid (maximum at 15 s) and transient. This material was identified as the biologically active isomer inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate on the basis of its retention time by high-performance liquid chromatography on an anion-exchange resin. AMP and adenosine have no effect on inositol phosphates. The action of ATP and ADP was mimicked with an equal potency and activity by their phosphorothioate analogs, ATP gamma S and ADP beta S, and with a lower potency by adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate, whereas adenosine 5'-(alpha,beta-methylene)triphosphate, was inactive. In the same range of concentrations, ADP and ATP induced an efflux of 45Ca2+ from prelabeled bovine aortic endothelial cells and increased the fluorescence emission by cells loaded with quin-2. Here, too, AMP and adenosine were completely inactive. The outflow of 45Ca2+ induced by ADP was partially maintained in a calcium-free medium. These data suggest that in aortic endothelial cells, P2-purinergic receptors, of the P2Y subtype, are coupled to the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by a phospholipase C. It is likely that the release of prostacyclin and endothelium-derived relaxing factor in response to ADP and ATP is a consequence of this initial event.