Sepsis is a leading cause of multiorgan dysfunction and death in hospitalized patients. Dysregulated inflammatory processes and apoptosis contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced organ dysfunction and death. A₁ adenosine receptor (A₁AR) activation reduces inflammation and apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, we questioned whether A₁AR-mediated reduction of inflammation and apoptosis could improve mortality and organ dysfunction in a murine model of sepsis. A₁AR knockout mice (A₁ knockout) and their wild-type (A₁ wild-type) littermate controls were subjected to cecal ligation and double puncture (CLP) with a 20-gauge needle. A₁ knockout mice or A₁ wild-type mice treated with 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (a selective A₁AR antagonist) had a significantly higher mortality rate compared with A₁ wild-type mice following CLP. Mice lacking endogenous A₁ARs demonstrated significant elevations in plasma creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, and tumor necrosis factor-α 24 h after induction of sepsis compared with wild-type mice. The renal corticomedullary junction from A₁ knockout mice also exhibited increased myeloperoxidase activity, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 protein, and mRNA encoding proinflammatory cytokines compared with renal samples from A₁ wild-type littermate controls. No difference in renal tubular apoptosis was detected between A₁ knockout and A₁ wild-type mice. We conclude that endogenous A₁AR activation confers a protective effect in mice from septic peritonitis primarily by attenuating the hyperacute inflammatory response in sepsis.