Pharmacological actions of the calcium antagonist propyl-methylenedioxyindene in skinned vascular smooth muscle

Previous studies provided strong evidence that propyl-methylenedioxyindene (pr-MDI) interfered with calcium at an intracellular site. To further characterize the mechanism of action of pr-MDI, its pharmacological actions on chemically skinned vascular smooth muscle were examined. Rat caudal artery strips were chemically skinned with saponin (0.15 mg/mL for 1 h). The efficiency of the skinning was evidenced by a loss of contractile response to 74 mM K+. The intactness of the regulatory and contractile proteins was ascertained by the ability of the skinned tissue to contract in response to Ca2+ (free Ca2+ concentration of 10(-4) or 10(-6)M). Caffeine (25 mM) induced contraction was used as an index of the functional integrity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the skinned preparations. Contraction of the skinned artery with a free Ca2+ concentration of 10(-6)M was significantly obtunded by 1 X 10(-4)M trifluoperazine (a calmodulin antagonist) but not by 1 X 10(-4)M pr-MDI. Contraction of the skinned artery evoked by 25 mM caffeine in the absence of extracellular calcium was significantly obtunded by 1 X 10(-4)M pr-MDI but not by 1 X 10(-6)M nifedipine (a calcium channel blocker). The results indicate that pr-MDI acts intracellular to block calcium mobilization from the sarcoplasmic reticulum without directly interfering with the regulatory and contractile proteins.     

Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum: a comparison with skinned muscle fiber studies

Uptake and release of Ca2+ in heavy and light fractions of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (FSR) isolated from frog and rabbit skeletal muscle was studied under conditions similar to those employed in skinned muscle fiber experiments, where ATP and Mg2+ concentrations were considered to be physiological and free Ca2+ concentration was kept constant during the Ca2+ uptake and release. Ca2+ level in FSR monotonously approached a steady state level which depended only on the final experimental conditions. Heavy fractions, but not light fractions, exhibited characteristics similar to those of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release reported in skinned fiber studies: i) the rate and steady state level of Ca2+ uptake increased with increase in free Ca2+ concentration in the reaction medium up to 10(-6) M. With further increase in free Ca2+ concentration, the steady state level of Ca2+ taken up decreased while the Ca2+ uptake rate increased. ii) The steady state Ca2+ level was decreased by caffeine but increased by procaine or ruthenium red. Parallel measurement of Ca2+-ATPase activity clearly showed that these drugs modify the Ca2+ efflux but hardly affect the Ca2+-pump activity. It was concluded that the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanism was in operation at as low as 10(-6) M free Ca2+ concentration. Treatment of FSR with 0.6 M KCl did not have any significant effect.     

Cyclic AMP modulation of adrenoreceptor-mediated arterial smooth muscle contraction

We examined the effects of cyclic AMP (cAMP) on the intracellular Ca2+ release in both the intact and skinned arterial smooth muscle. The amount of Ca2+ in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was estimated indirectly by caffeine-induced contraction of the skinned preparation and directly by caffeine-stimulated 45Ca efflux from the previously labeled skinned preparation. The norepinephrine-induced release contraction was markedly enhanced by dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and reduced by propranolol. The stimulatory effect of dbcAMP was best observed when the muscle was exposed to 10(-5) M dbcAMP and 2 X 10(-6) M norepinephrine was used to induce the release contraction. 10(-5) M cAMP had no effect on the Ca2+-induced contraction or on the pCa-tension relationship in the skinned preparation. This concentration of cAMP increased Ca2+ uptake into the SR of the skinned preparation when the Ca2+ in the SR was first depleted. 10(-5) M cAMP stimulated Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the SR after optimal Ca2+ accumulation by the SR. The results indicate that the stimulatory effect of cAMP on the norepinephrine-induced release contraction could be due to enhancement of the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from the SR in arterial smooth muscle.     

Cyclic AMP-induced enhancement of calcium accumulation by the sarcoplasmic reticulum with no modification of the sensitivity of the myofilaments to calcium in skinned fibres from a yeast skeletal muscle.

In the presence of low concentrations of total EGTA (5 . 10(-4) M) and free Mg2+ (3.16 . 10(-5) M) and in the presence of caffeine (8 . 10(-3) M), cyclic AMP (5 . 10(-6) M) produces a relaxation of the tension developed by skinned fibres from cat caudo-femoralis. The relaxation can be attributed to an enhancement of the Ca2+ accumulation by the sarcoplasmic reticulum, since cyclic AMP does not modify the sensitivity of the myofilaments of Ca2+. These results are similar to those previously reported for the effect of cyclic AMP on skinned cardiac cells in the presence of a higher free Mg2+ concentration and in the absence of caffeine. This similarity suggests that the mode of action of cyclic AMP on the sarcoplasmic reticulum is not fundamentally different in cardiac and fast skeletal muscles.     

The role of free calcium ion in calcium release in skinned muscle fibers

Major questions in excitation--contraction coupling of fast skeletal muscle concern the mechanism of signal transmission between sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the mechanism of SR Ca release, and operation of the SR active transport system during excitation. Intracellular Ca movement can be studied in skinned muscle fibers with more direct control, analysis of 45Ca flux, and simultaneous isometric force measurements. Ca release can be stimulated by bath Ca2+ itself, ionic "depolarization," Mg2+ reduction, or caffeine. The effectiveness of bath Ca2+ has suggested a possible role for Ca2+ in physiological release, but this response is difficult to analyze and evaluate. Related evidence emerged from analysis of other responses: with all agents studied, stimulation of 45Ca efflux is highly Ca2+-dependent. The presence of a Ca chelator prevents detectable stimulation by ionic "depolarization" or Mg2+ reduction and inhibits the potent caffeine stimulus; inhibition is graded with chelator concentration and caffeine concentration, and is synergistic with inhibition by increased Mg2+. The results indicate that a Ca2+-dependent pathway mediates most or all of stimulated 45Ca efflux in skinned fibers, and has properties compatible with a function in physiological Ca release.     

Effects of ryanodine in skinned cardiac cells

Ryanodine (1 X 10(-5) M) did not affect the Ca2+ sensitivity of the myofilaments of skinned (sarcolemma removed by microdissection) cardiac cells from the rat ventricle. Ryanodine (1 X 10(-5) M) inhibited three types of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), which have different mechanisms: 1) Ca2+-induced release of Ca2+ triggered by a rapid and transient increase of [free Ca2+] at the outer surface of the SR; 2) caffeine-induced release of Ca2+; 3) spontaneous cyclic release of Ca2+ occurring in the continuous presence of a [free Ca2+] sufficient to overload the SR. These results suggest that the three types of Ca2+ release are through the same channel across the SR membrane, although the gating mechanisms are different for the three types. Ryanodine also diminished the rate of Ca2+ accumulation into the SR. Even in the presence of 1 X 10(-5) M ryanodine the SR accumulated Ca2+ that could be released when the SR was sufficiently overloaded with Ca2+. Thus, ryanodine pretreatment did not permit the direct activation of the myofilaments by externally applied Ca2+. The approximately 1000-fold difference in the effective concentrations of ryanodine in intact vs. skinned cardiac cells suggests that low concentrations of ryanodine act in the intact cardiac tissues through processes or on structures that are destroyed by the skinning procedure. No significant differences were observed in the effects of ryanodine in skinned cardiac cells from different adult mammalian species.     

Adenine nucleotide stimulation of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in sarcoplasmic reticulum

Rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum was fractionated into a "Ca2+-release" and "control" fraction by differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation. External Ca2+ (2-20 microM) caused the release of 40 nmol of 45Ca2+/mg of protein/s from Ca2+-release vesicles passively loaded at pH 6.8 with an internal half-saturation Ca2+ concentration of 10-20 mM. Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release had an approximate pK value of 6.6 and was half-maximally inhibited at an external Ca2+ concentration of 2 X 10(-4) M and Mg2+ concentration of 7 X 10(-5) M. 45Ca2+ efflux from control vesicles was slightly inhibited at external Ca2+ concentrations that stimulated the rapid release of Ca2+ from Ca2+-release vesicles. Adenine, adenosine, and derived nucleotides caused stimulation of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in media containing a "physiological" free Mg2+ concentration of 0.6 mM. At a concentration of 1 mM, the order of effectiveness was AMP-PCP greater than cAMP approximately AMP approximately ADP greater than adenine greater than adenosine. Other nucleoside triphosphates and caffeine were minimally effective in increasing 45Ca2+ efflux from passively loaded Ca2+-release vesicles. La3+, ruthenium red, and procaine inhibited Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release. Ca2+ flux studies with actively loaded vesicles also indicated that a subpopulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles contains a Ca2+ permeation system that is activated by adenine nucleotides.     

Inositol trisphosphate and calcium mobilisation in permeabilised enterocytes

Saponin-permeabilised epithelial cells isolated by hyalurodinase incubation from chicken small intestine were used to study 45Ca uptake into intracellular stores. At low (6.7 X 10(-7) M) free Ca2+ concentration most of the Ca2+ appears to be taken up into non-mitochondrial stores, whilst the mitochondria seem to play a major role at high (2 X 10(-5) M) Ca2+ concentration. Addition of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) causes a rapid and reversible release of 45Ca from non-mitochondrial stores, with a half-maximal effect of approximately 1 microM.     

Activation of the Ca2+ release channel of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum by caffeine and related compounds

The caffeine-sensitive Ca2+ release pathway in skeletal muscle was identified and characterized by studying the release of 45Ca2+ from heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and by incorporating the vesicles or the purified Ca2+ release channel protein complex into planar lipid bilayers. First-order rate constants for 45Ca2+ efflux of 1 s-1 were obtained in the presence of 1-10 microM free Ca2+ or 2 X 10(-9) M free Ca2+ plus 20 mM caffeine. Caffeine- and Ca2+-induced 45Ca2+ release were potentiated by ATP and Mg.ATP, and were both inhibited by Mg2+. Dimethylxanthines were similarly (3,9-dimethylxanthine) or more (1,7-, 1,3-, and 3,7-dimethylxanthine) effective than caffeine in increasing the 45Ca2+ efflux rate. 1,9-Dimethylxanthine and 1,3-dimethyluracil (which lacks the imidazole ring) did not appreciably stimulate 45Ca2+ efflux. Recordings of calcium ion currents through single channels showed that the Ca2+- and ATP-gated SR Ca2+ release channel is activated by addition of caffeine to the cis (cytoplasmic) and not the trans (lumenal) side of the channel in the bilayer. The single channel measurements further revealed that caffeine activated Ca2+ release by increasing the number and duration of open channel events without a change of unit conductance (107 pS in 50 mM Ca2+ trans). These results suggest that caffeine exerts its Ca2+ releasing effects in muscle by activating the high-conductance, ligand-gated Ca2+ release channel of sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Dependence on Ca2+ of the activities of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate phosphodiesterase and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase in smooth muscles of the porcine coronary artery.

The activities of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) phosphodiesterase (PDE) and inositol 1,4,5,-trisphosphate (IP3) phosphatase in the particulate and cytosol fractions prepared from porcine coronary artery smooth muscles were examined using 32P-labelled PIP2 and IP3 as substrates, respectively. The activity of PIP2 PDE, as assessed from the production of IP3, in the cytosol fraction was about 10-fold higher than that in the particulate fraction. In the absence of MgCl2, the activity of PIP2 PDE in both fractions showed no causal relation to the free Ca2+ concentration in the physiological range of 10(-7)-10(-5) M, but was enhanced remarkably by 10(-4) M free Ca2+. The addition of 1 mM-MgCl2 to the assay medium markedly inhibited the activity of PIP2 PDE in both fractions in the presence of free Ca2+ (10(-8)-10(-5) M). In the absence of MgCl2, 10(-5)M-acetylcholine (ACh) produced IP3, and this action was blocked by 3 X 10(-6) M-atropine. The ACh-induced activation of PIP2 PDE ceased in the presence of 1 mM-MgCl2; however, the reactivation occurring on the addition of 10 microM-guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate did not depend on the free Ca2+ concentrations (10(-7)-10(-5)M). The activities of IP3 phosphatase, determined from decrease in the amount of IP3 in the particulate and cytosol fractions, had much the same potency in both fractions. The activity of IP3 phosphatase in the cytosol fraction was enhanced by MgCl2 in a concentration-dependent manner, the maximal value occurring at 1 mM-MgCl2, and was also enhanced in the presence of physiological concentrations of free Ca2+ (10(-7)-10(-6) M). These findings suggest that the activation of PIP2 PDE which occurs with application of ACh in the presence of guanine nucleotides and 1 mM-MgCl2 is independent of the free Ca2+ concentration, and that the hydrolysis of IP3 by phosphatase increases, depending on the concentration of free Ca2+.     

Calcium-ion-transporting activity in two microsomal subfractions from rat pancreatic acini. Modulation by carbamylcholine

Two microsomal subfractions from isolated rat pancreatic acini were produced by centrifugation through a discontinuous sucrose density gradient and characterized by biochemical markers. The denser fraction ( SF2 ) was a highly purified preparation of rough endoplasmic reticulum; the less-dense fraction ( SF1 ) was heterogeneous and contained Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes. 45Ca2+ accumulation in the presence of ATP and its rapid release after treatment with the bivalent-cation ionophore A23187 were demonstrated in both fractions. The pH optimum for active 45Ca2+ uptake was approx. 6.8 for the rough endoplasmic reticulum ( SF2 ) and approx. 7.5 for SF1 . Initial rate measurements were used to determine the affinity of the rough-endoplasmic-reticulum uptake system for free Ca2+. An apparent Km of 0.16 +/- 0.06 microM and Vmax. of 21.5 +/- 5.6 nmol of Ca2+/min per mg of protein were obtained. 45Ca2+ uptake by SF1 was less sensitive to Ca2+, half-maximal uptake occurring at 1-2 microM-free Ca2+. When fractions were prepared from isolated acini stimulated with 3 microM-carbamylcholine, 45Ca2+ uptake was increased in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The increased uptake was due to a higher Vmax. with no significant change in Km. No effect was observed on 45Ca2+ uptake by SF1 . In conclusion, two distinct non-mitochondrial, ATP-dependent calcium-uptake systems have been demonstrated in rat pancreatic acini. One of these is located in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but the precise location of the other has not been determined. We have shown that the Ca2+-transporting activity in the rough endoplasmic reticulum may have an important role in maintaining the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in resting acinar cells and is involved in Ca2+ movements which occur during stimulation of enzyme secretion.     

Calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum of vascular smooth muscle: I. MgATP-dependent and MgATP-independent calcium uptake.

The components of 45calcium (Ca) uptake were studied in saponin skinned rat caudal artery. The steady-state Ca content increased when the free Ca concentration was varied from 10(-8) to 10(-4) M but was reduced by azide when the free Ca concentration exceeded 3.1 microM. The azide sensitivity and low affinity for Ca were consistent with functional mitochondria. The azide-insensitive component consisted of a small bound and a larger releasable Ca fraction. After skinning in Triton X-100, approximately 4 mumol Ca/kg wet tissue remained, which represented a tightly bound but slowly exchangeable Ca pool. The Ca content was independent of the free Ca concentration and MgATP, and it was not released with A-23187 or Ca. The Ca content of the larger fraction was a higher order function of the free Ca concentration and was released with A-23187, indicating it resided within a membrane-bounded structure. Ca uptake by the releasable fraction was increased by oxalate, MgATP, phosphocreatine, temperature, phosphate, and ruthenium red and represents Ca sequestered by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) with little contribution from other Ca binding or storage sites. It is described by the coefficients Umax = 96.94 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.75 microM, and Hill coefficient = 1.70. The SR in this preparation regulates cytosolic Ca concentrations under physiological conditions and can accumulate Ca by MgATP-dependent and MgATP-independent process. The larger, MgATP-dependent Ca uptake is described by the coefficients Umax = 72.87 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.8 microM, and Hill coefficient = 2.09 and is consistent with Ca sequestered by the Ca-transport ATPase of smooth muscle SR. The smaller, MgATP-independent uptake is described by the coefficients Umax = 24.14 mumol/kg wet tissue, K1/2 = 0.56 microM, and Hill coefficient = 1.01 and represents Ca sequestered by an unidentified mechanism or by a subpopulation of SR.     

Head-to-head association in bovine spermatozoa induced by catecholamines

Noradrenaline, adrenaline, and isoproterenol induce head-to-head association in bovine spermatozoa in a Tris-HCl-buffered medium. Noradrenaline was the most and isoproterenol the least efficient. This effect was stimulated by Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+, Ca2+ being more efficient than the other two ions. At 2 X 10(-6) M Ca2+, oxidation products of adrenaline dissociated spermatozoa associated by washing; at 2 X 10(-5) M Ca2+, the dissociating effect was transformed into association. The induction of association by adrenaline was blocked by both alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockers at low concentrations (2 X 10(-7) M). Both cAMP and dibutyryl substituted cAMP (db-cAMP) induced association in the Tris-buffered medium at 2 X 10(-6) M Ca2+. Further increase in association was brought about by increasing the Ca2+ concentration to 2 X 10(-5) M. Prolongation of the treatment with cAMP increased association. When combined with cAMP under the same conditions as used in the combination with adrenaline, L-propranolol did not inhibit association induced by cAMP. In an identical experiment, performed in Tyrode solution, L-propranolol inhibited association induced by cAMP. At 2 X 10(-5) M, theophylline, caffeine, and papaverine induced association in the presence of 2 X 10(-5) M Ca2+. The results are compatible with the hypothesis that catecholamines act via receptors and formation of cAMP.     

Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate releases calcium from skinned cultured smooth muscle cells

We examined the effects of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate on 45Ca uptake and 45Ca efflux in the saponin skinned primary cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. 10 microM inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate induced a rapid (half time less than 10 sec) and large quantity of Ca release in both 45Ca uptake and 45Ca efflux in the skinned cells preloaded with 1 microM free Ca. Dose response curves showed that 100 microM inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate produced a maximal Ca release of 97.3% of the MgATP dependent 45Ca uptake or 289 mumoles/liter cells, which was much greater than the maximal caffeine induced Ca release and would be sufficient to produce maximal tension.     

ATP-dependent calcium transport in rat parotid basolateral membrane vesicles. Modulation by agents which elevate cyclic AMP

ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport was studied in basolateral membrane vesicles prepared from rat parotid gland slices incubated without or with agents which increase cyclic AMP. Isoproterenol (10(-5) M), forskolin (2 X 10(-6) M) and 8-bromocyclic AMP (2 X 10(-3) M) all increased ATP-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake 1.5- to 3-fold. The effect of isoproterenol was concentration-dependent and blocked by the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol. Enhanced uptake did not appear an artifact of vesicle preparation as apparent vesicle sidedness, 45Ca2+ efflux rates, specific activity of marker enzymes and equilibrium Ca2+ content were identical in vesicle preparations from control and 8-bromocyclic AMP-treated slices. Kinetic studies showed the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport system in vesicles from 8-bromocyclic AMP-treated slices displayed a approximately 50% increase in Vmax and in Km Ca2+, compared to controls. The data suggest that physiological secretory stimuli to rat parotid acinar cells, which involve cyclic AMP, result in a readjustment of the basolateral membrane ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump.     

Origin of intracellular calcium and quantitation of mobilizable calcium in neutrophils stimulated with chemotactic peptide

The origin and amount of mobilized Ca2+ in chemotactic peptide-stimulated guinea pig neutrophils were examined using biochemical techniques. The total amount of releasable Ca2+ by 20 microM A23187 from the unstimulated intact cells was 0.91 nmol/4 X 10(6) cells, as assessed by change in absorbance of the antipyrylazo III-Ca2+ complex. Two types of internal vesicular Ca2+ pool, mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial pool were identified in the saponin-permeabilized cells. The total amount of releasable Ca2+ was comparable to that accumulated by the non-mitochondrial pool at (1-2) X 10(-7) M of a free Ca2+ concentration. The mitochondrial uncoupler, capable of releasing Ca2+ from the mitochondrial pool, neither modified the basal cytosolic free Ca2+ in quin 2-loaded cells nor caused a Ca2+ efflux from the intact cells. These results suggest that the releasable Ca2+ may be located in the non-mitochondrial pool of unstimulated intact cells, and the mitochondrial pool contains little releasable Ca2+. The addition of fMet-Leu-Phe increased the cytosolic free Ca2+ by two processes: Ca2+ mobilization from internal stores and Ca2+ influx through the surface membrane. The Ca2+ mobilized and effluxed from the intact cells by stimulation with the maximal doses of fMet-Leu-Phe was estimated to be 0.27 nmol/4 X 10(6) cells. Almost equal amounts were released by the maximal doses of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate from the non-mitochondrial pool of saponin-treated cells that had accumulated Ca2+ at a free Ca2+ concentration of 1.4 X 10(-7) M. The mechanism related to the Ca2+ influx by fMet-Leu-Phe stimulation was also examined. The addition of nifedipine or phosphatidic acid did not affect the change in the cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by fMet-Leu-Phe, thereby suggesting that the receptor-mediated Ca2+ channel may be involved in the Ca2+ influx.     

Calcium-binding properties of troponin C in detergent-skinned heart muscle fibers

In order to obtain information with regard to behavior of the Ca2+ receptor, troponin C (TnC), in intact myofilament lattice of cardiac muscle, we investigated Ca2+-binding properties of canine ventricular muscle fibers skinned with Triton X-100. Analysis of equilibrium Ca2+-binding data of the skinned fibers in ATP-free solutions suggested that there were two distinct classes of binding sites which were saturated over the physiological range of negative logarithm of free calcium concentration (pCa): class I (KCa = 7.4 X 10(7) M-1, KMg = 0.9 X 10(3) M-1) and class II (KCa = 1.2 X 10(6) M-1, KMg = 1.1 X 10(2) M-1). The class I and II were considered equivalent, respectively, to the Ca2+-Mg2+ and Ca2+-specific sites of TnC. The assignments were supported by TnC content of the skinned fibers determined by electrophoresis and 45Ca autoradiograph of electroblotted fiber proteins. Dissociation of rigor complexes by ATP caused a downward shift of the binding curve between pCa 7 and 5, an effect which could be largely accounted for by lowering of KCa of the class II sites. When Ca2+ binding and isometric force were measured simultaneously, it was found that the threshold pCa for activation corresponds to the range of pCa where class II sites started to bind Ca2+ significantly. We concluded that the low affinity site of cardiac TnC plays a key role in Ca2+ regulation of contraction under physiological conditions, just as it does in the regulation of actomyosin ATPase. Study of kinetics of 45Ca washout from skinned fibers and myofibrils revealed that cardiac TnC in myofibrils contains Ca2+-binding sites whose off-rate constant for Ca2+ is significantly lower than the Ca2+ off-rate constant hitherto documented for the divalent ion-binding sites of either cardiac/slow muscle TnC or fast skeletal TnC.     

Effect of extracellular Ca2+ on plasma membrane Ca2+ inflow and cytoplasmic free Ca2+ in isolated hepatocytes

An initial rapid phase and a subsequent slow phase of 45Ca2+ uptake were observed following the addition of 45Ca2+ to Ca2+-deprived hepatocytes. The magnitude of the rapid phase increased 15-fold over the range 0.1-11 mM extracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+o) and was a linear function of [Ca2+]o. The increases in the rate of 45Ca2+ uptake were accompanied by only small increases in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration. In cells made permeable to Ca2+ by treatment with saponin, the rate of 45Ca2+ uptake (measured at free Ca2+ concentrations equal to those in the cytoplasm of intact cells) increased as the concentration of saponin increased from 1.4 to 2.5 micrograms per mg wet weight cells. Rates of 45Ca2+ uptake by cells permeabilized with an optimal concentration of saponin were comparable with those of intact cells incubated at physiological [Ca2+o], but were substantially lower than those for intact cells incubated at high [Ca2+o]. It is concluded that Ca2+ which enters the hepatocyte across the plasma membrane is rapidly removed by binding and transport to intracellular sites and by the plasma membrane (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase and the plasma membrane Ca2+ inflow transporter is not readily saturated with Ca2+o.     

Mechanisms of the Ba2+-induced contraction in smooth muscle cells of the rabbit mesenteric artery

The mechanism of the Ba2+-induced contraction was investigated using intact and saponin-treated skinned smooth muscle (skinned muscle) strips of the rabbit mesenteric artery. After depletion of Ca2+ stored in the caffeine-sensitive site, greater than 0.65 mM Ba2+ evoked contraction in muscle strips depolarized with 128 mM K+ in Ca2+-free solution in a dose-dependent fashion, and the ED50 values for Ca2+ and Ba2+ were 0.5 mM and 1.2 mM in intact muscle strips, respectively. Nisoldipine (10 nM) blocked the contraction evoked by high K+ or 10 microM norepinephrine (NE) in the presence of 2.6 mM Ba2+, but did not block the contraction evoked in the presence of 2.6 mM Ca2+. These results may indicate that Ba2+ permeates the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel. In skinned muscle strips, the ED50 values for Ca2+ and Ba2+ were 0.34 and 90 microM, respectively, as estimated from the pCa- and pBa-tension relationships. Calmodulin enhanced and trifluoperazine inhibited the Ba2+- and Ca2+-induced contractions. After the application of Ba2+ or Ca2+ with ATP gamma S in rigor solution, myosin light chain (MLC) was irreversibly thiophosphorylated, as estimated from the Ba2+- or Ca2+-independent contraction. Furthermore, both divalent cations phosphorylated MLC, as measured using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, to the extent expected from the amplitudes of the contraction evoked by these cations. Thus, Ba2+ is capable of activating the contractile proteins as Ca2+ does. The amount of Ca2+ or Ba2+ stored in cells was estimated from the caffeine response evoked in Ca2+-free solution in intact and skinned muscle strips. After the application of 0.3 microM Ca2+ or 0.1 mM Ba2+ for 60 s to skinned muscle strips after the depletion of Ca2+ stored in cells, caffeine produced a contraction only upon pretreatment with Ca2+ but not with Ba2+. When Ba2+ was applied successively just after the application of Ca2+, the subsequently evoked caffeine-induced contraction was much smaller than that evoked by pretreatment with Ca2+ alone. The above results indicate that Ba2+ permeates the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel but may not permeate the receptor-operated Ca2+ channel, it releases Ca2+ from store sites but is not accumulated into the store site, and it directly activates the contractile proteins via formation of a Ba2+-calmodulin complex.     

Vasopressin-induced increases in cellular free calcium concentration measured in single cells of rat renal papillary collecting tubule

We determined the cellular free calcium concentration [Ca2+]i in response to arginine vasopressin (AVP) using single cells of cultured rat renal papillary collecting tubule cells. AVP at a concentration of 1 x 10(-10) M or higher significantly increased [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner. The prompt increase in [Ca2+]i induced by AVP was completely blocked by the V1V2 antagonist, but not by the V1 antagonist. Also, an antidiuretic agonist of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) increased [Ca2+]i, which was blocked by the pretreatment with the V1 V2 antagonist. An AVP-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was still demonstrable in cells pretreated with Ca2(+)-free medium containing 1 x 10(-3) M EGTA, or a blocker of cellular Ca2+ uptake, 5 x 10(-5) M verapamil. These results indicate that AVP increases [Ca2+]i through the V2 receptor in renal papillary collecting tubule cells where cAMP is a well-known second messenger for AVP, and that cellular free Ca2+ mobilization depends on both the intracellular and extracellular Ca2+.