The action of theophylline on the adenosine-induced decrease in renin release was studied in anesthetized dogs. Adenosine inhibited renin release, decreased GFR and fractional sodium excretion, and decreased the concentration of angiotensin II in the renal lymph. Theophylline (5 mumol/min intrarenally) had no significant effect on GFR or RBF yet produced a significant increase in the release of renin and the fractional excretion of sodium. The intrarenal infusion of adenosine (3 X 10(-7) mol/min) during theophylline infusion produced no effect on GFR or RBF, but fractional sodium excretion and renin release were significantly decreased. Adenosine was infused at a lower dose (3 X 10(-8) mol/min) during theophylline (5 X 10(-6) mol/min) infusion in a second group of dogs. With the exception of fractional sodium excretion, all effects of adenosine were effectively antagonized by theophylline. Theophylline at 5 X 10(-6) mol/min, which stimulates renin release and effectively antagonizes the renal effects of adenosine, had no detectable effect on cAMP measured in renal cortex. Furthermore, no change in cortical cAMP was observed until theophylline was increased 50-fold over the dose effective in antagonizing adenosine. These findings demonstrate that theophylline, at concentrations having no effect on cortical cAMP, antagonizes the effect of adenosine on renin release. The results are also consistent with the view that theophylline stimulates renin release by a mechanism other than its action on cAMP.