Cyclic AMP affects microvascular smooth muscle contraction and growth. Therefore, it is important to elucidate mechanisms regulating cyclic AMP production in microvascular smooth muscle. In this study, we determined whether several signal transduction pathways regulate receptor-induced cyclic AMP in isolated preglomerular microvessels and microvascular smooth muscle cells. Preglomerular microvessels were incubated with isoproterenol (beta-adrenoceptor agonist) and with and without U73122 (phospholipase C inhibitor), GF109203X (protein kinase C inhibitor), 1-butanol (phospholipase D inhibitor), CGP77675 (c-src inhibitor), HA1077 (Rho kinase inhibitor), Y27632 (Rho kinase inhibitor), LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor), dipenyleneiodonium (NADPH oxidase inhibitor), or Tempol (superoxide dismutase mimetic). Cultured preglomerular microvascular smooth muscle cells were incubated with isoproterenol or forskolin (direct activator of adenylyl cyclase) and with or without U73122, C(2)-ceramide (phospholipase D inhibitor), or PP1 [src family inhibitor, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-amine]. All studies were conducted with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (broad-spectrum phosphodiesterase inhibitor) to eliminate changes in cyclic AMP degradation. In microvessels isoproterenol-induced cyclic AMP was not affected by Y27632, HA1007, LY294002, dipenylene-iodonium, or Tempol; was increased by U73122 and GF109203X; and was decreased by 1-butanol and CGP77675. In cells, U73122 increased and C(2)-ceramide and PP1 decreased isoproterenol-induced cyclic AMP. Forskolin-induced cyclic AMP was not altered. These results indicate that receptor-mediated activation of adenylyl cyclase is 1) not modulated by Rho kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, NADPH oxidase, or superoxide; 2) is attenuated by phospholipase C and protein kinase C; and 3) is augmented by phospholipase D and src. Phospholipase C, phospholipase D, and src modulate receptor-induced cyclic AMP by affecting beta-adrenoreceptor/G protein/adenylyl cyclase coupling rather than by directly affecting adenylyl cyclase activity.