We have investigated the effect of various methylxanthines on the basal and InsP3-stimulated unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux from permeabilized A7r5 cells under different experimental conditions. We report that caffeine and theophylline inhibit the InsP3-induced Ca2+ release, whereas the basal Ca2+ leak remained largely unaffected. The effect on InsP3-induced Ca2+ release was specific, since isocaffeine was not effective. The inhibition occurred similarly in the absence or presence of extravesicular Ca2+ and was not associated with a decrease in the [3H]InsP3 binding to the receptor. ATP and MgATP (5 mM) prevented the inhibition, suggesting that caffeine may interact with an ATP-binding site on the InsP3 receptor or some associated protein.