Adenylate cyclase inhibition by stable GTP analogs and their interaction with epinephrine were studied in human platelet membranes. Whereas basal enzyme activity was increased by these nucleotides, the stable GTP analogs decreased the adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by fluoride or forskolin by maximally 60 to 70%, with the potency order, guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) greater than guanyl-5'-ylimidodiphosphate greater than guanyl-5'-ylmethylenediphosphate. The inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated enzyme by GTP gamma S was half-maximal at about 4 nM, occurred after a time lag period, which was inversely related to the GTP gamma S concentration, and was resistant to washing of the membranes. Prostaglandin E1-stimulated activity exhibited a biphasic response towards GTP gamma S, with activation occurring at low (1 nM) and inhibition at higher GTP gamma S concentrations. The inhibitory effect of GTP gamma S was competitively antagonized by GTP. This antagonism was prevented by epinephrine, which inhibited the stimulated platelet adenylate cyclase in the presence of GTP to the same degree as observed with GTP gamma S alone. In the absence of GTP, epinephrine largely diminished the time lag required for the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S. Furthermore, the decrease in final activity induced by GTP gamma S was amplified by epinephrine. Whereas the acceleration of the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S was observed at low and high GTP gamma S concentrations, the amplification by epinephrine was observed only at submaximally effective concentrations of GTP gamma S.