Abstract Adenosine potentiates the stimulated release of mast cell mediators. Pharmacologic studies suggest the presence of two adenosine receptors, one positively coupled to adenylate cyclase and the other coupled to phospholipase C activation. To identify mast cell adenosine receptor subtypes, cDNAs for the A1 and A2a adenosine receptors were obtained by screening a mouse brain cDNA library with the use of PCR-derived probes. Mouse bone marrow-derived mast cell cDNA libraries were constructed and screened with the use of A1 and A2a cDNA probes, which revealed the presence of A2a, but not A1, receptor clones. A putative A2b receptor was identified by using low stringency mast cell library screening. Northern blotting of mast cell poly(A)+ RNA with the use of receptor subtype probes labeled single mRNA bands of 2.4 kb and 1.8 kb for the A2a and A2b receptors, respectively. In situ cells. An A2a receptor-specific agonist failed to enhance mast cell mediator release, which suggests that the secretory process is modulated through the A2b and/or another receptor subtype. By using RNase protection assays, we found that mast cells that had been cultured in the presence of N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine for 24 h exhibited a decrease in both A2a and A2b receptor RNA levels. Cells that had been cultured for 1 to 2 days in the presence of dexamethasone demonstrated increased amounts of A2a receptor mRNA, but no identifiable change in A2b receptor mRNA. Mast cells possess at least two adenosine receptor subtypes that may be differentially regulated.