线粒体钙单向转运体和线粒体应激关系的研究进展

钙离子(calcium ion,Ca~(2+))在线粒体功能障碍及细胞损伤凋亡过程中发挥重要的细胞信号作用。近些年来关于Ca~(2+)通道以及其调控蛋白的研究越来越多,其中,线粒体单向转运体(uniporter)复合物的结构组成及其相关蛋白的分布特点成为主要研究热点。作为uniporter复合物中关键的通道蛋白,线粒体钙单向转运蛋白(mitochondrial calcium uniporter,MCU)可顺电化学梯度摄入Ca~(2+),将Ca~(2+)从胞质转运到线粒体基质并控制转运速率,其在胞内Ca~(2+)信号转导、Ca~(2+)稳态、线粒体能量代谢以及细胞凋亡方面具有重要意义。识别调控线粒体内Ca~(2+)信号的MCU及其相关蛋白可深入阐明线粒体应激在相关疾病中的发生发展,并为进一步的疾病治疗提供理论依据。     

基于比较代谢组学的理性优化方法提高阿维菌素产量

【目的】利用比较代谢组学的分析方法,研究不同发酵培养基中阿维链霉菌的胞内代谢差异,揭示合成阿维菌素的关键代谢物和代谢途径,再通过理性优化添加主要关键代谢物,提高阿维菌素产量。【方法】对M1和M2培养基中生长的菌体进行基于GC-MS的胞内代谢组学分析,通过理性添加强化前体代谢物,确定阿维菌素高产培养基。【结果】GC-MS共检测到232种物质,能够精确匹配70种胞内代谢物,通过PCA和PLS分析,最终确定了21种已知的胞内代谢物与阿维菌素的生物合成密切相关。其中乳酸、丙酮酸、琥珀酸、苏氨酸、异亮氨酸、缬氨酸和油脂类物质对阿维菌素的产量影响较为显著。通过单独或组合优化添加这些前体,阿维菌素的产量从5.36 g/L提高到了5.92 g/L,增加了10.4%。【结论】基于比较代谢组学分析的理性优化培养基的方法可有效提高阿维菌素的产量,并为提高当下生物基产品的产量提供了新思路。     

共聚焦显微镜不同倍数物镜下肠系膜动脉三级分支张力和Ca~(2+)信号同步变化的比较

本文旨在建立优化的观察肠系膜动脉三级分支(sMA,直径100~300μm)血管张力和血管平滑肌细胞(vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs)内Ca~(2+)信号的同步变化的实验方法。分别采用DMT 360CW激光共聚焦微血管张力测定系统和Nikon C2激光共聚焦显微镜,同时记录Ca~(2+)通道激动剂KCl、内皮素-1(endothelin-1,ET-1)以及Ca~(2+)通道抑制剂钆离子(Gd3+)诱导的去内皮sMA血管张力和VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号的变化,并对共聚焦显微镜不同物镜(10×、20×、40×)下记录到的Ca~(2+)信号荧光值变化量进行对比分析,探索最佳的实验条件。结果显示,KCl可引起sMA显著收缩,20×、40×物镜下VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号会同步增强,相比40×物镜,20×物镜下Ca~(2+)信号变化量更大,荧光值更稳定,而10×物镜下VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号变化不明显;不同浓度的ET-1能够引起sMA浓度依赖性收缩,同样20×物镜下VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号也呈浓度依赖性同步增强;ET-1预收缩sMA后加入Gd3+显著降低ET-1诱导的血管收缩效应,相应地20×物镜下VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号也显著降低。以上结果表明,Ca~(2+)通道激动剂或抑制剂引起血管收缩或舒张的同时,VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号会发生相应的变化,提示本实验方法可同步记录两者的变化,而且共聚焦显微镜20×物镜为最佳的实验条件。与分别应用血管张力检测技术测定血管张力变化和动态细胞荧光成像技术测定VSMCs内Ca~(2+)信号变化的方法相比,同步检测张力和Ca~(2+)信号的变化更简单实用,有效避免了不必要的实验误差。     

红球菌HX-2所产胞外多糖的特性和对Cu2+的吸附

【背景】目前,微生物所产胞外多糖(exopolysaccharide,EPS)的理化性质及其在重金属吸附中的应用受到了广泛关注。【目的】研究红球菌HX-2所产胞外多糖的理化性质,并探究其对重金属的吸附情况。【方法】使用离子交换和凝胶色谱分离法对胞外多糖粗品进行纯化;利用苯酚硫酸法测胞外多糖中糖含量;用Bradford试剂盒检测胞外多糖中蛋白含量;使用甲醇萃取法检测胞外多糖中脂质含量;用高效液相色谱(high performance liquid chromatography,HPLC)法分析胞外多糖中单糖组成;用扫描电镜(scanningelectronmicroscopy,SEM)法观察多糖表面形态;通过等温吸附模型和动力学模型探究胞外多糖对重金属的吸附效果。【结果】测得胞外多糖主要成分EPS-G-1中总糖含量为78.43%,蛋白含量为8.31%,脂质含量为8.22%;纯化后胞外多糖中单糖组成为葡萄糖、甘露糖、半乳糖、葡萄糖醛酸和岩藻糖,质量比为27.31:26.67:24.83:15.85:4.80;通过等温吸附模型拟合得到HX-2所产胞外多糖对Cu~(2+)的最大吸附量为144.93 mg/g。【结论】红球菌HX-2所产胞外多糖对水体中Cu~(2+)具有良好的吸附作用,可用于工业废水中重金属离子的处理。     

NADPH氧化酶在1-戊烯-3-酮诱导的拟南芥早期信号事件中的作用

1-戊烯-3-酮(1-penten-3-one)作为重要的植物挥发性信号物质可诱导拟南芥防御反应早期信号的产生。但是拟南芥叶肉细胞响应1-戊烯-3-酮早期信号转导途径尚未见到报道。本研究以拟南芥为材料,研究了NADPH氧化酶对1-戊烯-3-酮处理后拟南芥早期信号的作用。实验采用非损伤微测技术结合激光共聚焦技术探究了1-戊烯-3-酮诱导的活性氧(ROS)、跨膜离子流信号与NADPH氧化酶之间的关系,结果表明:1-戊烯-3-酮处理能够诱导拟南芥叶肉细胞H_2O_2含量增加、Ca~(2+)外排和H+内流等早期信号事件,NADPH氧化酶抑制剂二联苯碘(DPI)处理后1-戊烯-3-酮诱导的拟南芥叶肉细胞Ca~(2+)外排减弱,胞内钙库抑制剂钌红处理后1-戊烯-3-酮诱导的拟南芥叶肉细胞H+内流减弱,说明1-戊烯-3-酮通过激活NADPH氧化酶诱导了拟南芥叶肉细胞H_2O_2产生,胞内H_2O_2的积累可能通过激活胞内钙库引起细胞内Ca~(2+)浓度增加,进而引起Ca~(2+)的外排和H+的内流。     

Con A刺激致T淋巴细胞胞浆游离Ca~(2+)浓度升高

本文分别应用荧光Ca~(2+)指示剂Quin2和Indo-1研究了Con A刺激的T淋巴细胞[Ca~(2+)]i升高过程及其发生机制.结果表明Con A与T淋巴细胞作用可导致细胞[Ca~(2+)]i的迅速升高.这种增加的胞内游离Ca~(2+)不仅来自胞外Ca~(2+)的内流,也来源于胞内钙库的释放.其中Ca~(2+)内流与T细胞钙通道的开放有关.可被钙通道抑制剂戊脉胺抑制,细胞的去极化及钾通道阻断剂四乙胺均不能阻断Ca~(2+)的内流,提示Ca~(2+)内流不是通过电位操纵的钙通道实现的,也与拥通道的开闭无关.Ca~(2+)内流可能是通过Con A受体活化的受体操纵的钙通道而实现的.     

钙离子调控樟芝深层发酵无性产孢及其分子机制

樟芝是原产于台湾的珍稀药用真菌,具有保肝、抗癌等活性。樟芝在深层发酵过程中能够产生大量无性孢子,但是目前对樟芝无性产孢的影响因素及其分子机制尚不明确。本研究报道了樟芝发酵培养基中Ca~(2+)浓度能够有效调控樟芝无性产孢的现象;采用双向电泳(2-DE)技术,对不添加Ca~(2+)培养(对照)的菌丝体、添加1 mmol/L Ca~(2+)培养(促进产孢)的菌丝体及添加200 mmol/L Ca~(2+)培养(抑制产孢)的菌丝体进行差异蛋白质组学分析,鉴定了参与Ca~(2+)/钙调素信号通路的CaM蛋白和HSP90蛋白,以及参与FluG调控产孢信号通路的AbaA蛋白;进一步通过生物信息学分析,预测了Ca~(2+)/钙调素和FluG介导的樟芝无性产孢信号通路模型图;采用实时定量PCR(RT-qPCR)技术,对该通路上23个功能基因的转录水平进行了分析,发现了受Ca~(2+)调控最为灵敏的7个产孢相关功能基因:crz1、hsp90、flbB、brlA、abaA、wetA及fadA。本研究结果为解析樟芝无性产孢机制提供了实验依据。     

喜树碱诱导甜菜夜蛾细胞凋亡线粒体途径的MPTP依赖性

【目的】线粒体通透性转换孔(MPTP)的开放可以导致线粒体膜通透性改变,与细胞凋亡关系密切。本研究旨在探索MPTP在喜树碱诱导的昆虫细胞凋亡中的作用,以进一步揭示喜树碱(CPT)诱导昆虫细胞凋亡的机制。【方法】环孢菌素A(CsA)为MPTP开放抑制剂,通过预加入20μmol/L CsA,应用流式细胞仪测定其对CPT和羟基喜树碱(HCPT)诱导的甜菜夜蛾Spodoptera exigua细胞(IOZCAS-SPEX-Ⅱ)凋亡作用的影响,包括细胞内Ca~(2+)浓度变化,线粒体膜电位变化以及活性氧簇(ROS)变化,从而分析MPTP在CPT和HCPT诱导细胞凋亡的作用。【结果】结果显示,10μmol/LCPT和HCPT处理IOZCAS-SPEX-Ⅱ细胞6 h和12 h时,与0.1%DMSO对照组相比,甜菜夜蛾细胞发生凋亡,胞质Ca~(2+)浓度增大,线粒体膜电位降低或丧失,ROS增加,即CPT和HCPT诱导甜菜夜蛾细胞发生凋亡,为线粒体内途径。但经过20μmol/L CsA预处理2 h后再加入CPT和HCPT处理6 h,与0.1%DMSO组相比,细胞凋亡率、胞质Ca~(2+)浓度、线粒体膜电位及ROS产生均无显著差异(P0.05),即CsA抑制了MPTP的开放,从而抑制了CPT和HCPT诱导的甜菜夜蛾细胞凋亡;而加入CPT和HCPT处理12 h时,CsA对MPTP开放的抑制作用显著降低,与单CPT和HCPT处理组相比,细胞凋亡率、胞质Ca~(2+)浓度、线粒体膜电位及ROS差异不显著,即CPT和HCPT诱导的细胞凋亡如常发生。【结论】本研究证实喜树碱和羟基喜树碱诱导甜菜夜蛾细胞凋亡线粒体途径具有MPTP开放依赖性,且首次明确这种依赖性具有时间性。     

植物体内的钙信使系统

Ca对植物不仅仅是一种大量营养元素,更重要的是作为偶连胞外信号与胞内生理生化反应的第二信使,作为植物代谢和发育的主要调控者。本文介绍了Ca在植物细胞中的分布及其体内平衡机制,以及Ca~(2+)信使系统调控的植物生理生化过程,讨论了外界信号通过Ca~(2+)信使系统的传递和表达过程,Ca~(2+)信使系统对基因表达的可能影响,以及Ca~(2+)信使系统的作用机制,并提出了今后的研究方向。     

蛭弧菌BDE-1的生物特性及促进其蛭质体形成的研究

【背景】蛭弧菌是众多海洋益生菌中的一类较新成员,应用前景十分广阔。但由于蛭弧菌特殊的繁殖方式和周期,它的应用效果受寄生宿主特性和生物活性的影响,因而优选寄生宿主,维持或者提高蛭弧菌微生态制剂的应用活性是关键。【目的】筛选出能够裂解枯草芽孢杆菌的蛭弧菌,以增进其益生性能;研究提高蛭弧菌的蛭质体密度,以利于保存。【方法】从海南取回海泥样后,以枯草芽孢杆菌作为宿主菌,通过稀营养肉汤(Dilute nutrient broth,DNB)双层平板法分离获得蛭弧菌,并对目标菌株进行透射电镜形态鉴定和16S rRNA基因序列分析;然后进行生物学特性研究,同时开展氨苄青霉素、吲哚、Ca~(2+)和Mg~(2+)影响蛭质体形成的研究。【结果】分离出一株以枯草芽孢杆菌作为宿主的蛭弧菌并命名为BDE-1,其最适温度、盐度和pH分别为25℃、2.0%和7.0;BDE-1可裂解24株试验菌,占总试验菌株数(28株)的85.7%,其中对试验弧菌(13株)的裂解率达92.3%;吲哚、氨苄青霉素、Ca~(2+)和Mg~(2+)4种因子对BDE-1蛭质体的形成均有促进作用,其中吲哚和Ca~(2+)的促进作用显著。【结论】研究结果不仅为蛭弧菌寄生宿主的优化选择提供了可行性解决思路,而且为维持或提高蛭弧菌微生态制剂的应用活性提供了理论依据。     

Modelling of the protonophoric uncoupling by phenoxyacetic acid of the plasma membrane potential of Penicillium chrysogenum

Physiological effects of phenoxyacetic acid, the penicillin V side-chain precursor, on steady-state continuous cultures of Penicillium chrysogenum have been studied both theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical calculations show that at an extracellular pH of 6.50, phenoxyacetic acid has negligible influence on the growth energetics due to protonophoric uncoupling of membrane potentials by passive diffusive uptake. On the other hand, when the extracellular pH is lowered to 5.00, a severe maintenance-related uncoupling effect of phenoxyacetic acid is calculated. These findings were confirmed experimentally by steady-state continuous cultivations with a high-yielding penicillin strain of P. chrysogenum performed on a chemically defined and glucose-limited medium at pH 6.50 and pH 5.00, both with and without phenoxyacetic acid present. The yield and maintenance coefficients were determined from steady-state measurements of the specific uptake rates of glucose and oxygen and the specific production rate of carbon dioxide as functions of the specific growth rate. Combining these data with a simple stoichiometric model for the primary metabolism of P. chrysogenum allows quantitative information to be extracted on the growth energetics in terms of ATP spent in maintenance- and growth-related processes, i.e. mATP and YxATP. The increased maintenance-related ATP consumption when adding phenoxyacetic acid at pH 5.00 agrees with the theoretical calculations on the uncoupling effect of phenoxyacetic acid. When YxATP is compared with earlier reported values for the theoretical ATP requirement for biosynthesis of P. chrysogenum, i.e. YxATP, growth, it is found that YxATP,growth is only 40-50% of YxATP, which stresses that a large amount of ATP is wasted in turnover of macromolecules, leaks, and futile cycles.     

Utilization of side-chain precursors for penicillin biosynthesis in a high-producing strain of Penicillium chrysogenum

Utilization of the side-chain precursors phenoxyacetic acid (POA) and phenylacetic acid (PA) for penicillin biosynthesis by Penicillium chrysogenum was studied in shake flasks. Precursor uptake and penicillin production were followed by HPLC analysis of precursors and products in the medium and in the cells. P. chrysogenum used both POA and PA as precursors, producing phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) and benzylpenicillin (penicillin G), respectively. If both precursors were present simultaneously, the formation of penicillin V was blocked and only penicillin G was produced. When PA was added at different times to cells that were induced initially for POA utilization and were producing penicillin V, the POA utilization and penicillin V formation were blocked, whereas the cells started utilizing PA and produced penicillin G. The blocking of the POA turnover lasted for as long as PA was present in the medium. If POA was added to cultures induced initially for PA utilization and producing penicillin G, this continued irrespective of the presence of POA. Utilization of POA increased concomitant with depletion of PA from the medium. Analysis of cellular pools from a growing cell system with POA as precursor to which PA was added after 48 h showed that the cellular concentration of POA was kept high without production of penicillin V and at a concentration comparable to the concentration in the medium. The cellular concentration of POA was higher than the concentration of PA that was utilized for penicillin G production. Correspondence to: S. Havn Eriksen     

重金属胁迫对真菌生长及发酵液pH的影响

【背景】矿区废渣堆重金属污染严重,废渣堆分布着一些耐重金属的微生物。【目标】探究重金属胁迫对真菌生长及发酵液pH的影响。【方法】从金川矿区废渣堆采集土样,分离培养具有产酸能力的真菌,采用形态学与分子生物学技术鉴定这些菌株,并测定其产酸能力及其对Pb~(2+)、Cd~(2+)和Zn~(2+)的耐受性。【结果】形态学及18S rRNA基因序列分析获得黑曲霉ZJ-I (Aspergillus niger ZJ-I)和产黄青霉ZJ-V (Penicilium chrysogenum ZJ-V)两个产酸菌株。未加重金属培养时,与不接种真菌对照相比,上述2个菌株的发酵液pH分别下降0.58和0.69;添加重金属处理后,随着重金属浓度的增加,pH变化幅度变小,不同浓度Pb~(2+)使A.nigerZJ-I发酵液pH值分别下降0.53、0.39、0.34和0.39,使P. chrysogenum ZJ-V发酵液pH值分别下降0.21、0.23、0.14和0.09;不同浓度Cd~(2+)使A. niger ZJ-I发酵液pH值分别下降0.75、0.43、0.39和0.32,使P. chrysogenum ZJ-V发酵液pH值分别下降0.62、0.46、0.38和0.49;不同浓度Zn~(2+)可使A.nigerZJ-I发酵液pH分别下降0.87、0.61、0.57和0.43,使P. chrysogenum ZJ-V发酵液pH分别下降1.1、0.34、0.44和0.49;低浓度的Zn~(2+)对菌株A.niger ZJ-I和P. chrysogenum ZJ-V产酸都有促进作用,低浓度的Cd~(2+)对A. niger ZJ-I产酸有促进作用。当Cd~(2+)、Zn~(2+)与Pb~(2+)的浓度分别超过200、400、2 000 mg/L时,3种不同浓度的重金属对菌株A. niger ZJ-I的抑制率达到80%以上,抑制效果显著;当Cd~(2+)、Zn~(2+)与Pb~(2+)浓度分别超过200、1 000、2 000 mg/L时,3种不同浓度的重金属对菌株P.chrysogenumZJ-V抑制率达到80%以上,抑制效果显著。【结论】两株真菌均具有产酸能力和一定的重金属耐受性,菌株P. chrysogenum ZJ-V发酵液产酸性能与重金属耐受能力都要优于ZJ-I,菌株ZJ-V具备潜在的淋洗重金属污染土壤的能力。     

Catabolism of lysine in Penicillium chrysogenum leads to formation of 2-aminoadipic acid, a precursor of penicillin biosynthesis.

Penicillium chrysogenum L2, a lysine auxotroph blocked in the early steps of the lysine pathway before 2-aminoadipic acid, was able to synthesize penicillin when supplemented with lysine. The amount of penicillin produced increased as the level of lysine in the media was increased. The same results were observed in resting-cell systems. Catabolism of [U-14C]lysine by resting cells and batch cultures of P. chrysogenum L2 resulted in the formation of labeled saccharopine and 2-aminoadipic acid. Formation of [14C]saccharopine was also observed in vitro when cell extracts of P. chrysogenum L2 and Wis 54-1255 were used. Saccharopine dehydrogenase and saccharopine reductase activities were found in cell extracts of P. chrysogenum, which indicates that lysine catabolism may proceed by reversal of the two last steps of the lysine biosynthetic pathway. In addition, a high lysine:2-ketoglutarate-6-aminotransferase activity, which converts lysine into piperideine-6-carboxylic acid, was found in cell extracts of P. chrysogenum. These results suggest that lysine is catabolized to 2-aminoadipic acid in P. chrysogenum by two different pathways. The relative contribution of lysine catabolism in providing 2-aminoadipic acid for penicillin production is discussed.     

Characterization of a phenylacetate-CoA ligase from Penicillium chrysogenum

Enzymatic activation of PAA (phenylacetic acid) to phenylacetyl-CoA is an important step in the biosynthesis of the beta-lactam antibiotic penicillin G by the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. CoA esters of PAA and POA (phenoxyacetic acid) act as acyl donors in the exchange of the aminoadipyl side chain of isopenicillin N to produce penicillin G or penicillin V. The phl gene, encoding a PCL (phenylacetate-CoA ligase), was cloned in Escherichia coli as a maltose-binding protein fusion and the biochemical properties of the enzyme were characterized. The recombinant fusion protein converted PAA into phenylacetyl-CoA in an ATP- and magnesium-dependent reaction. PCL could also activate POA, but the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme was rather low with k(cat)/K(m) values of 0.23+/-0.06 and 7.8+/-1.2 mM(-1).s(-1) for PAA and POA respectively. Surprisingly, PCL was very efficient in catalysing the conversion of trans-cinnamic acids to the corresponding CoA thioesters [k(cat)/K(m)=(3.1+/-0.4)x10(2) mM(-1).s(-1) for trans-cinnamic acid]. Of all the substrates screened, medium-chain fatty acids, which also occur as the side chains of the natural penicillins F, DF, H and K, were the best substrates for PCL. The high preference for fatty acids could be explained by a homology model of PCL that was constructed on the basis of sequence similarity with the Japanese firefly luciferase. The results suggest that PCL has evolved from a fatty-acid-activating ancestral enzyme that may have been involved in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids.     

alpha-Aminoadipate pool concentration and penicillin biosynthesis in strains of Penicillium chrysogenum

Intracellular amino acid pools in four Penicillium chrysogenum strains, which differed in their ability to produce penicillin, were determined under conditions supporting growth without penicillin production and under conditions supporting penicillin production. A significant correlation between the rate of penicillin production and the intracellular concentration of alpha-aminoadipate was observed, which was not shown with any other amino acid in the pool. In replacement cultivation, penicillin production was stimulated by alpha-aminoadipate, but not by valine or cysteine. Exogenously added alpha-aminoadipate (2 or 3 mM) maximally stimulated penicillin synthesis in two strains of different productivity. Under these conditions intracellular concentrations of alpha-aminoadipate were comparable in the two strains in spite of the higher rate of penicillin production in the more productive strain. Results suggest that the lower penicillin titre of strain Q 176 is due to at least two factors: (i) the intracellular concentration of alpha-aminoadipate is insufficient to allow saturation of any enzyme which is rate limiting in the conversion of alpha-aminoadipate to penicillin and (ii) the level of an enzyme, which is rate limiting in the conversion of alpha-aminoadipate to penicillin, is lower in Q 176 (relative to strain D6/1014/A). Results suggest that the intracellular concentration of alpha-aminoadipate in strain D6/1014/A is sufficiently high to allow saturation of the rate-limiting penicillin biosynthetic enzyme in that strain. The basis of further correlation of intracellular alpha-aminoadipate concentration and penicillin titre among strains D6/1014/A, P2, and 389/3, the three highest penicillin producers studied here, remains to be established.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The role of cytoplasmic free calcium concentration in B-cell tolerance

Calcium is an important factor in the immune response. Extracellular calcium is required for antibody production by B lymphocytes. Several investigators have demonstrated that crosslinking of receptors on B lymphocytes by anti-mu antibody induces an increase in intracellular calcium. There are few data on the role of intracellular calcium mobilization or calcium influx in tolerance induction in B cells. We studied changes in free intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca+2]i) induced by exposure of dinitrophenyl (DNP)-specific B cells to the tolerance-inducing conjugate DNP-murine IgG2a (DNP-MGG). Splenic B cells enriched for DNP-specific cells and DNP-specific continuous B-cell lines were used for the studies. Exposure of B cells to the tolerogen DNP-MGG, the antigen DNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (DNP-KLH), or the antigen DNP-Ficoll induced an increase in free [Ca+2]i which was due to both mobilization of Ca+2 from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and influx of extracellular Ca+2. This increase was DNP specific since no significant change was seen with carriers alone and no change was seen in cells that were not DNP specific. The DNP-MGG and DNP-Ficoll induced the same amount of Ca+2 release from ER but the release induced by DNP-KLH was higher. When B cells, which were made tolerant by in vitro incubation with DNP-MGG, were incubated with antigens, a mobilization of Ca+2 from endoplasmic reticulum occurred that was the same as that of nontolerant B cells. Since Ca+2 mobilization is associated with Ig receptor-dependent early B-cell activation, it is likely that the tolerant B cell can still receive an activation signal through the Ig receptors.     

Neurotransmitter release from bradykinin-stimulated PC12 cells. Stimulation of cytosolic calcium and neurotransmitter release.

The effect of bradykinin on intracellular free Ca2+ and neurotransmitter secretion was investigated in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line PC12. Bradykinin was shown to induce a rapid, but transient, increase in intracellular free Ca2+ which could be separated into an intracellular Ca2+ release component and an extracellular Ca2+ influx component. The bradykinin-induced stimulation of intracellular free Ca2+ displayed a similar time course, concentration dependencies and extracellular Ca2+ dependence as that found for neurotransmitter release, indicating an association between intracellular free Ca2+ levels and neurotransmitter secretion. The selective BK1-receptor antagonist des-Arg9,[Leu8]BK (where BK is bradykinin) did not significantly affect the stimulation of intracellular free Ca2+ or neurotransmitter release. In contrast, these effects of bradykinin were effectively blocked by the selective BK2-receptor antagonist [Thi5,8,D-Phe7]BK, and mimicked by the BK2 partial agonist [D-Phe7]BK in a concentration-dependent manner. The stimulation of intracellular free Ca2+ and neurotransmitter release induced by bradykinin was shown not to involve voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels, since calcium antagonists had no effect on either response at concentrations which effectively inhibit depolarization-induced responses. These results indicate that bradykinin, acting through the interaction with the BK2 receptor, stimulates an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ leading to neurotransmitter secretion. Furthermore, bradykinin-induced responses involve the release of intracellular Ca2+ and the influx of extracellular Ca2+ that is not associated with the activation of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels.