High-affinity binding of Ca2+ to bovine alpha-lactalbumin in the absence and presence of EGTA.

Literature values for the Kd for Ca2+ in bovine alpha-lactalbumin range over 3 orders of magnitude. There is a difference between two results obtained with EGTA as a metal-ion buffer, partly because different values for the Kd of Ca2+-EGTA were used in the calculations, and a much wider difference between results obtained in the presence and absence of EGTA, which has been attributed to an interaction between EGTA and the protein. Titrations in a flow-dialysis cell showed that Mn2+ competed with Ca2+ for the high-affinity site on the protein, and the results, combined with a Kd for Mn2+ of 2.1 +/- 0.1 microM, which was determined fluorimetrically, gave a Kd for Ca2+ of 1.3 +/- 0.1 nM. When alpha-lactalbumin containing 45Ca2+ was titrated with EGTA in a flow-dialysis cell, and widely accepted metal-chelation data for EGTA were used in the calculations, a Kd for Ca2+ of 1.10 +/- 0.03 nM was obtained. The results from the two methods are so similar as to indicate that the affinity for Ca2+ was unaffected by the presence of EGTA.     

Intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in fowl spermatozoa and its relationship to motility and respiration in spermatozoa.

The ability of fowl spermatozoa to accumulate and de-esterify the intracellular fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2 was established. The cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, measured by this technique, did not change after the addition of 1 mmol EGTA l-1. Subsequently, addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 caused a reduction in cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, presumably by efflux of Ca2+ from the spermatozoa. Intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations were then significantly increased by the addition of 1 mmol CaCl2 l-1. The motility of demembranated spermatozoa gradually decreased after the addition of EGTA alone or EGTA with A23187, but was instantly restored by the addition of CaCl2 in the presence of both EGTA and A23187. Unlike demembranated spermatozoa, intact spermatozoa maintained their motility, even after the addition of EGTA, but their motility was reduced by the addition of A23187 in the presence of EGTA. The addition of A23187 also reduced the rate of oxygen consumption, but not the ATP concentrations in intact spermatozoa. These results demonstrate that the motility and respiration of fowl spermatozoa are strongly influenced by their intracellular Ca2+ concentrations.     

Interactions of calcium with yeast mitochondria.

The interactions of Ca2+ with mitochondria from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were explored. Mitochondria were loaded with the metallochromic dye Fluo-3 to measure the concentration of free calcium in the matrix. Addition of EGTA or Ca2+ led to fluctuations in mitochondrial free calcium between 120 and 400 nM. Ca2+ variations were slower at 4 degrees C than at 25 degrees C or in the presence of phosphate instead of acetate. The net uptake of 45Ca2+ was higher with phosphate than with acetate. The optimum pH for Ca2+ uptake was 6.8. Ruthenium red did not affect the uptake of Ca2+. Addition of antimycin-A or uncouplers led to a small and transient release of Ca2+. Addition of EGTA or the monovalent cations Na+ or K+ resulted in higher release of Ca2+. Site I but not site II dependent O2 consumption was partially inhibited by EGTA. The effect of Ca2+ on NADH oxidation is similar to results reported with enzymes from mammalian sources which use NADH, such as the pyruvate, isocitrate and oxoglutarate dehydrogenases.     

Cation chelators and their utilization in the preparation of low concentrations of calcium. Caution of use in biological systems with high affinity to calcium

Ethylene glycol bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA)-calcium buffer is widely used in various calcium-dependent reactions where free calcium concentrations of 1 microM or less are desirable. The free calcium concentration is calculated from the association constant of EGTA . Ca2- and serves as the true available calcium in systems devoid of a constituent with high affinity to Ca2+ other than EGTA. But, it is conceivable that in systems with high affinity to Ca2+ (comparable to that of EGTA) this is not the case, because such systems will compete with EGTA for the total calcium content in the medium, so that the true available calcium for these systems is greater than that calculated from the EGTA buffer. This hypothesis was tested in three different Ca+-modulated systems: Quin 2 fluorescence, Ca2+-ATPase, and adenylate cyclase, in which the response of the system to calcium was compared between EGTA-free media, containing known amounts of added calcium, and the EGTA-Ca2+ buffer media. In all three systems, the amount of available calcium in the EGTA-Ca2+ buffer medium was much greater than the calculated free Ca2+ concentration. This indicates that in systems with high affinity to Ca2+, preparation of available Ca2+ in concentrations of 1 microM or less must account for both the EGTA and the system capacities for calcium.     

Autophosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Effects on total and Ca2+-independent activities and kinetic parameters

Incubation of purified rat brain Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II for 2 min in the presence of Ca2+, calmodulin (CaM), Mg2+, and ATP converted the kinase from a completely Ca2+-dependent kinase to a substantially Ca2+-independent form with little loss of total activity. Subsequent addition of EGTA to the autophosphorylation reaction enhanced further autophosphorylation of the kinase which was associated with a suppression of total kinase activity to the Ca2+-independent value. Protein phosphatase 1 rapidly increased the suppressed total activity back to the control value and slowly decreased the Ca2+-independent activity. Kinetic analysis showed that the kinase not previously autophosphorylated had a Km for the synthetic peptide syntide-2 of 7 microM and Vmax of 9.8 mumol/min/mg when assayed in the presence of Ca2+ and CaM. The partially Ca2+-independent species, assayed in the presence of EGTA, had a Km of 21 microM and Vmax of 6.0. In the presence of Ca2+ and CaM the Km decreased and the Vmax increased to approximately control nonphosphorylated values. The completely Ca2+-independent form generated by sequential autophosphorylation first in the presence of Ca2+ and then EGTA had similar kinetic parameters to the partially independent species when assayed in the presence of EGTA, but addition of Ca2+ and CaM (up to 1 mg/ml) had little effect. These results suggest that separate autophosphorylation sites in the Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II are associated with formation of Ca2+-independent activity and suppression of total activity.     

外源钙和茉莉酸甲酯诱导番茄植株抗灰霉病研究

以‘辽园多丽’番茄幼苗为材料,研究了经钙(Ca)、钙螯合剂(EGTA)和茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)处理后接种番茄灰霉病幼苗叶片的病情指数、活性氧(H2O2、O2.-)含量和过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)活性的变化。结果显示:(1)Ca、MeJA、MeJA+Ca处理番茄幼苗的灰霉病发病率分别比对照显著降低32.5%、38.0%和54.5%,而MeJA+Ca处理又显著低于Ca、MeJA处理32.6%和15.3%;MeJA+EGTA处理高于MeJA处理30.3%,但低于EGTA处理13.1%;Ca处理低于EGTA处理34.2%。(2)Ca、MeJA及MeJA+Ca处理番茄幼苗叶片中活性氧积累量高于对照,MeJA+Ca处理又高于Ca、MeJA处理;但MeJA+EGTA处理活性氧积累量低于MeJA处理,而高于EGTA处理;Ca处理的活性氧含量高于EGTA处理。(3)Ca、MeJA及MeJA+Ca处理幼苗叶片的SOD、CAT、POD的活性均比对照提高,且以MeJA+Ca处理最高;而MeJA+EGTA处理抗氧化酶活性低于MeJA处理,但高于EGTA处理;Ca处理抗氧化酶活性高于EGTA处理。研究表明,钙在茉莉酸甲酯诱导番茄抗灰霉病过程中具有重要调节作用,这种作用与钙促进茉莉酸甲酯诱导番茄活性氧积累和抗氧化酶活性有关。     

Modulation of L-type Ca2+ current by fast and slow Ca2+ buffering in guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Free Ca2+ near Ca2+ channel pores is expected to be lower in cardiomyocytes dialyzed with bis-(o-amino-phenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) than with ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) because BAPTA chelates incoming Ca2+ more rapidly. The consequences of intracellular Ca2+ buffering by BAPTA (0.2-60 mM) and by EGTA (0.2-67 mM) on whole-cell L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L) were investigated in voltage-clamped guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes; bulk cytoplasmic free Ca2+ (Cac2+) was monitored using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator indo-1. ICa,L was augmented by approximately 12-fold when BAPTA in the cell dialysate was increased from 0.2 to 50 mM (half-maximal stimulation at 31 mM), whereas elevating internal EGTA from 0.2 to 67 mM increased ICa,L only by approximately 2-fold. Cac2+ was < 20 nM with internal BAPTA or EGTA > or = 20 mM. While EGTA up to 67 mM had only an insignificant inhibitory effect on the stimulation of ICa,L by 3 microM forskolin, ICa,L in 50 mM BAPTA-dialyzed myocytes was insensitive to forskolin-induced elevation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP); conversely, ICa,L in cAMP-loaded cells was unresponsive to BAPTA dialysis. Cell dialysis with BAPTA, but not with EGTA, accelerated the slow component of ICa,L inactivation (tau S) without affecting its fast component (tau F), resembling the effects of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. BAPTA-stimulated ICa,L was inhibited by acetylcholine and by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) blocker H-89. These results suggest that BAPTA-induced lowering of peri-channel Ca2+ stimulates cAMP synthesis and channel phosphorylation by disinhibiting Ca(2+)-sensitive adenylyl cyclase.     

Excitation of skinned muscle fibers by imposed ion gradients. II. Influence of quercetin and ATP removal on the Ca2+-insensitive component of stimulated 45Ca efflux

Ionic gradients imposed by choline Cl replacement of K methanesulfonate (Mes) at constant [K][Cl] product stimulate 45Ca efflux from skinned muscle fibers; a small, sustained Ca2+-insensitive efflux component, observed in EGTA, appears to grade a much larger Ca2+-dependent component responsible for contractile activation and is likely to reflect intermediate steps in excitation-contraction coupling. The present studies examined ATP-related effects on the Ca2+-insensitive stimulation. 45Ca efflux was measured on segments of frog semitendinosus muscle skinned by microdissection, with isometric force monitored continuously. The Ca2+-insensitive component was potentiated by quercetin, a flavonoid thought to inhibit the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca pump by stabilizing a phosphorylated intermediate. Quercetin increased the stimulated net 45Ca release in the absence of EGTA, as expected from inhibition of reaccumulation, but its effectiveness in EGTA indicated potentiation of unidirectional efflux as such. Quercetin also increased unstimulated (control) 45Ca efflux in EGTA, to a smaller extent; potentiation appeared to be a function of efflux, with stimulation above control loss increased approximately 2.6-fold. ATP removal before stimulation, which led to rigor force and increased stiffness, prevented all quercetin effects in EGTA. ATP removal by itself inhibited ionic stimulation of the Ca2+-insensitive component, with little residual increase above the parallel control loss. Addition of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue AMP-PCP ([adenylyl-beta,gamma-methylene]diphosphate) (0.8 mM) after ATP removal gave similar results to ATP-free solution, which suggests that adenine nucleotide binding alone does not support stimulation by choline Cl. These results imply a fundamental role for ATP in the excitation of skinned fibers by imposed diffusion potentials; they also suggest that ATP regulates the SR Ca efflux channel, in a manner that could provide the positive feedback in Ca2+-dependent Ca release.     

Calcium uptake in skeletal muscle mitochondria. I. The effects of chelating agents on the mitochondria from fatigued rats.

Female Wistar rats were used to determine the effects of the chelating agents, EDTA and EGTA, on the in vitro 45Ca2+ accumulation by mitochondria isolated from the skeletal muscle of fatigued animals. The rats were divided into three groups: sedentary-rested (SR), trained-rested (TR), trained-exhausted (TE). The trained groups were exercised on a treadmill for 1 h daily, five times a week, for 22 weeks. At the conclusion of the training program, the TE group was rapidly exercised to exhaustion immediately following their daily 1-h run. In the TR group EDTA reduced 45Ca2+ binding while both EDTA and EGTA appeared to increase mitochondrial Ca2+ and Mg2+ content. In the TE group, EDTA reduced endogenous mitochondrial Ca2+ and Mg2+ content, while both EDTA and EGTA increased 45Ca2+ binding. Since chelating Ca2+ and Mg2+ from the membrane may affect the structure and function of the mitochondria, it is suggested that the use of chelating agents during the isolation of mitochondria from the skeletal muscle of trained rats be viewed with caution.     

The effects of EGTA on vascular smooth muscle contractility in calcium-free medium

The effect of EGTA, commonly present in Ca2+-free physiological saline solution, on the contractile responses induced by Ca2+ and phenylephrine was studied in dog mesenteric arteries and aortas of rats and rabbits. EGTA substantially enhanced the contractile responses of these vascular strips or rings to added Ca2+ after a prolonged preincubation period in the Ca2+-free medium. The maximal level of the enhanced contractile responses was independent of EGTA concentration, but the rate of the maximal responses was faster at higher EGTA concentration, presumably as a result of faster removal of intracellular Ca2+. Such a Ca2+-induced response was sensitive to the Ca2+ antagonist, nifedipine. EGTA present at low concentrations (50 and 400 microM) in Ca2+-free medium also inhibited the phenylephrine-induced contractile response more prominently for the longer preincubation periods of the vascular tissues in Ca2+-free medium. Our results suggest that EGTA, even when added at low concentrations to the vascular smooth muscle for a sufficiently long period in Ca2+-free medium, may cause destabilization of the cell membranes leading to increased permeability to subsequently added Ca2+. EGTA may also remove the superficially bound Ca2+ and subsequently reduce the intracellular Ca2+ pool via extraction of the intracellular Ca2+ at the cell membrane surfaces.     

The effects of calcium ions, ionophore A23187 and inhibition of energy metabolism on protein degradation in the rat diaphragm and epitrochlearis muscles in vitro.

1. The effects of external Ca2+, EGTA, ionophore A23187, CN-, dinitrophenol and iodoacetamide on the rate of protein degradation in the rat diaphragm and epitrochlearis muscles in vitro were investigated. 2. External Ca2+ increased protein degradation when compared with external EGTA. Protein degradation was further increased by Ca2+ + ionophore A23187. 3. EGTA and ionophore A23187 decreased ATP and phosphocreatine concentrations and the ATP/ADP ratio. 4. CN-, dinitrophenol and iodoacetamide decreased protein degradation, presumably by interfering with energy metabolism. 5. The effects of EGTA may be caused by disturbances in energy metabolism. The effects of ionophore A23187 cannot be readily explained by disturbances in energy metabolism. 6. Incubation of diaphragms with Ca2+ causes a rapid increase in whole-tissue Ca content. This is further stimulated by ionophore A23187. The uptake of Ca2+ may be, at least in part, into the cytoplasm because an increase in the glycogen phosphorylase activity ratio is observed. 7. A Ca2+-activated proteinase is present in rat heart and diaphragm. This enzyme may mediate in part the effects of Ca2+ described above. The apparent KA of this enzyme for Ca2+ is about 0.25 mM. 8. Because effects of ionophore A23187 cause a large increase in whole-tissue Ca content and because the Ca2+-activated proteinase has a relatively low affinity for Ca2+, it is felt that the effects of Ca2+ upon muscle proteolysis are unlikely to be of importance in steady-state protein turnover in vivo. The mechanism may, however, be important in breakdown of necrotic tissue in the living animal.     

Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of human platelet membranes. Effect of charge on association and dissociation of the glycoprotein GPIIb-GPIIIa membrane complex

The mechanism of association of the human platelet membrane GPIIb-GPIIIa-Ca2+ complex was studied by treating solubilized membranes with various enzymes and cationic peptides and by studying the binding of 45Ca2+ and 125I-fibrinogen before and after dissociation with EGTA and association with Ca2+. Neuraminidase shifted the complex cathodally (presumably due to cleavage of negatively charged domains), whereas trypsin had no such effect. The EGTA-dissociated complex was almost completely reassociated with neuraminidase or the cationic peptide, tetralysine. The monoclonal antibody 10E5, which specifically binds to the Ca2+-associated complex (not to its dissociated components), also bound to the neuraminidase-associated complex. Thus, Ca2+ is not necessary for the association of the complex. Neuraminidase treatment of washed intact platelets resulted in a cathodal shift of the membrane Triton X-100-extracted associated complex with no effect on its ability to dissociate in the presence of EGTA. Neuraminidase treatment of ADP-perturbed washed platelets also resulted in a cathodal shift of the associated complex; however, dissociation with EGTA was inhibited. Thus, critical neuraminidase-sensitive components of the complex (sialic acid residues) are not exposed on the surface of the platelet membrane of resting platelets, but do become accessible following platelet stimulation with ADP or membrane solubilization with Triton X-100. 45Ca2+ bound to the associated complex, to GPIIb of the dissociated complex (not to GPIIIa), to the Ca2+-reassociated complex, and to the neuraminidase-associated complex which had been dissociated with EGTA. Thus, neuraminidase-sensitive components of the solubilized membrane are not required for Ca2+ binding. 125I-fibrinogen bound to the associated complex (not the dissociated complex), to the Ca2+-reassociated complex, and to the neuraminidase-reassociated complex which had been dissociated with EGTA. Thus, Ca2+ is not necessary for 125I-fibrinogen binding to the major antigen complex.     

A test to evaluate the effect of individual components of ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid buffers on enzymatic activity.

A simple dilution test for evaluating the individual effect on enzymatic activity of [Ca2+], [EGTA], or [Ca.EGTA] variations in Ca-EGTA buffers is presented. We verified that a 50-fold dilution of the buffer (25-0.5 mM) at constant pH did not affect [Ca2+] (measured with fura-2), whereas [EGTA] and [Ca.EGTA] varied. Therefore the test can be applied to evaluate the proper effect of Ca2+ in a Ca-EGTA buffer on enzyme activity because such an effect is expected to remain unchanged upon dilution of the buffer. Applications of the test are shown for three enzymes apparently sensitive to Ca2+ but found to be effectively influenced only by Ca.EGTA (liver glucose-6-phosphatase), EGTA (intestinal mucosa phosphatase), or indeed Ca2+ (brain cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase).     

Nitroprusside differentially inhibits ADP-stimulated calcium influx and mobilization in human platelets.

1. The effect of nitroprusside on cGMP concn., cAMP concn., shape change, aggregation, intracellular free Ca2+ concn. (by quin-2 fluorescence) and Mn2+ entry (by quenching of quin-2) was investigated in human platelets incubated with 1 mM-Ca2+ or 1 mM-EGTA. 2. Nitroprusside (10 nM-10 microM) caused similar concentration-dependent increases in platelet cGMP concn. and was without effect on cAMP concn. in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ or EGTA. 3. In ADP (3-6 microM)-stimulated platelets, nitroprusside caused 50% inhibition of shape change at 0.4 microM (+Ca2+) or 1.3 microM (+EGTA), aggregation at 0.09 microM (+Ca2+) and of increased intracellular Ca2+ at 0.02 microM (+Ca2+) or 2.1 microM (+EGTA). Entry of 1 mM-Mn2+ (-Ca2+) was inhibited by 80% by 5 microM-nitroprusside. 4. In ionomycin (20-500 nM)-stimulated platelets, nitroprusside (10 nM-100 microM) did not inhibit shape change or intracellular-Ca2+-increase responses, and only partially inhibited aggregation. 5. In phorbol myristate acetate (10 nM)-stimulated platelets, neither shape change nor aggregation was inhibited by 5 microM-nitroprusside. 6. The data demonstrate that nitroprusside inhibits ADP-mediated Ca2+ influx more potently than Ca2+ mobilization. Nitroprusside appears not to influence Ca2+ efflux or sequestration and not to affect the sensitivity of the activation mechanism to intracellular Ca2+ concn. or activation of protein kinase C.     

Alterations of extracellular calcium elicit selective modes of cell death and protease activation in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells

The role of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in mechanisms of neuronal cell death and cysteine protease activation was investigated in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Cells were incubated in 2 mM EGTA to lower intracellular Ca2+ or 5 mM CaCl2 to raise it. Cell death and activation of calpain and caspase-3 were measured. Both EGTA and excess CaCl2 elicited cell death. EGTA induced DNA laddering and an increase in caspase-3-like, but not calpain, activity. Pan-caspase inhibitors protected against EGTA-, but not CaCl2-, induced cell death. Conversely, excess Ca2+ elicited necrosis and activated calpain but not caspase-3. Calpain inhibitors did not preserve cell viability. Ca2+ was the death-mediating factor, because restoration of extracellular Ca2+ protected against cell death induced by EGTA and blockade of Ca2+ channels by Ni2+ protected against that induced by high Ca2+. We conclude that the EGTA treatment lowered intracellular Ca2+ and elicited caspase-3-like protease activity, which led to apoptosis. Conversely, excess extracellular Ca2+ entered Ca2+ channels and increased intracellular Ca2+ leading to calpain activation and necrosis. The mode of cell death and protease activation in response to changing Ca2+ were selective and mutually exclusive, demonstrating that these are useful models to individually investigate apoptosis and necrosis.     

Regulation of reverse uniport activity in mitochondria by extramitochondrial divalent cations. Dependence on a soluble intermembrane space component.

We previously reported that uncoupling Ca2(+)-loaded mitochondria in the presence of [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid (EGTA) produces a partial expression of the permeability transition. From this and related observations, it was proposed that the absence of external free Ca2+ is inhibitory to reverse activity of the Ca2+ uniporter (Igbavboa, U., and Pfeiffer, D.R. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1405-1412). By using Sr2(+)-instead of Ca2(+)-loaded mitochondria, the transition is avoided upon treatment with EGTA plus uncoupler, and inhibition of reverse uniport activity can be observed directly. In the presence of physiological Mg2+ concentrations, reverse uniport of Sr2+ is eliminated by external EGTA following a brief period of rapid activity. It is proposed that binding of Mg2+ rather than Sr2+ (Ca2+) at an external site is responsible for the inhibition. Regulation at the external site is modified by the size of the Sr2+ load. EGTA, in the presence of Mg2+, does not inhibit the reverse uniport-dependent release of Sr2+ from mitoplasts. The inhibitory effect can be recovered by adding back the soluble components obtained as the intermembrane space fraction following removal of the outer membrane. The soluble factor could be a regulatory subunit which contains the external cation binding site. Adjustments to uniporter activity due to regulation by the binding site and/or the soluble factor may be slow and may be significant in determining how mitochondria respond to rapid Ca2+ transients in vivo.     

Evidence for the presence of a reversible Ca2+-dependent pore activated by oxidative stress in heart mitochondria.

Rat heart mitochondria became permeabilized to sucrose when incubated with 100 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein in the presence of Pi. Ca2+ chelation with EGTA restored impermeability to sucrose, which became entrapped in the matrix space. t-Butylhydroperoxide markedly promoted permeabilization in the presence of Ca2+ but not in its absence, and Ca2+-plus-t-butylhydroperoxide-induced permeabilization was reversed by EGTA. The data suggest that Ca2+ and oxidative stress synergistically promote the reversible opening of an inner membrane pore.     

Fluorescence digital image analysis of thrombin and ADP induced rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration of single blood platelets.

Cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, was estimated in single rabbit blood platelets by digital imaging microscopy with the use of the specific Ca(2+)-indicator dye Fura-2. Uneven distribution and low level of [Ca2+]i was found in the resting platelet even in the presence of extracellular 1 mM Ca2+. Thrombin at 1 unit/ml immediately caused a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, which was followed by a secondary and sustained increase in [Ca2+]i. The distribution of increased levels of [Ca2+]i was also shown to be uneven within the cell. The presence of 1 mM EGTA in the medium only slightly decreased the initial rise in [Ca2+]i, but completely inhibited the latter phase, a sustained rise in [Ca2+]i. This result shows that the initial rise of [Ca2+]i might not be caused by Ca2+ influx, but might be induced by mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ storage sites. This speculation is further supported by the fact that the elevated [Ca2+]i induced by thrombin immediately decreased to the base line value when 3 mM EGTA was applied. Thus, thrombin induced elevation of [Ca2+]i is suggested to consist of two different processes, namely the mobilization of Ca2+ from the intracellular storage sites and the successive Ca2+ influx through the receptor activated Ca2+ channels. Stimulation with ADP also caused a rapid elevation of platelet [Ca2+]i, but this effect of ADP was different form that of thrombin. Thus, the ADP induced rise in [Ca2+]i was accompanied by oscillation and was inhibited by extracellular EGTA. Our present experiment is the first report that clearly and directly reveals the differences between the effects of thrombin and ADP on [Ca2+]i of platelets.     

Purification and characterization of a gelsolin-actin complex from human platelets. Evidence for Ca2+-insensitive functions

Extracts of human platelets contain a 90,000-Da protein that is retained by DNase I-agarose in the presence of Ca2+. The 90-kDa protein, tightly complexed with platelet actin, can be eluted from DNase I-agarose by ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). The platelet 90-kDa protein is immunologically related to rabbit macrophage gelsolin. The 90-kDa protein-actin complex was purified from platelet extracts using DEAE-Sephacel, Sephadex G-200, and hydroxyapatite and is stable in EGTA and 0.8 M KCl. The purified complex will modulate the assembly of fluorescently labeled 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1, 3-diazole-actin in the presence of both Ca2+ and EGTA. In addition, the complex affects the low shear viscosity of F-actin solutions in the presence of both Ca2+ and EGTA. Finally, the complex increases the critical concentration for actin assembly about 4-fold. The results are consistent with a strong preferential binding to or capping of the barbed end of actin filaments by the complex in either Ca2+ or EGTA.     

Activation of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase by calcium ion and a protein activator.

3',5'-CAMP phosphodiesterase was partially purified from bovine cerebral cortex. A heat-stable activating factor was separated from the enzyme by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The enzyme in crude ammonium sulfate fractions was stimulated by 5 mM CaCl2. This stimulation was reversed by the calcium chelator EGTA. The main phosphodiesterase peak obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography was not stimulated by Ca2+. Upon addition of column effluent containing a heat stable factor, Ca2+ activation was restored. Protein activator was inactive when endogenous contaminating Ca2+ was complexed with EGTA. It was concluded that activation of phosphodiesterase requires the presence of both activator and Ca1+. From an analysis of activation of cGMP hydrolysis a kinetic model for the interaction of Ca2+ and protein activator with the phosphodiesterase was developed. Heterotropic cooperativity between the binding of Ca2+ and protein activator to the phosphodiesterase was observed, i.e., Ca1+ decreased the apparent dissociation constant for protein activator and protein activator decreased the apparent dissociation constant for Ca2+.