Cardiac effects of the extract and active components of radix stephaniae tetrandrae. II. Myocardial infarct, arrhythmias, coronary arterial flow and heart rate in the isolated perfused rat heart.

The primary purpose of the present study was to compare the cardioprotective effects of the extract from radix stephaniae tetrandrae (RST) and its individual compounds, tetrandrine (Tet) and fanchinoline (Fan). Secondly, we also compared the cardiac effects of the individual compounds and the RST extract with those of verapamil, a classical Ca2+ channel blocker. The Langendorff isolated perfused rat heart preparation was used. Regional ischaemia and reperfusion was employed to induce myocardial infarct and arrhythmia. Infarct, arrhythmia, heart rate and coronary artery flow were determined in hearts treated with vehicle, RST extract, Tet, Fan, or verapamil. It was found that RST extract, of which only 9% was Tet, and Tet alone produced equally potent ameliorating effects on arrhythmia and infarct induced by ischaemia and reperfusion without further inhibiting ischaemia-reduced heart rate and coronary artery flow. Fan had no effects on arrhythmia and infarct induced by ischaemia and reperfusion; but it induced S-T segment elevation and further reduced heart rate and coronary artery flow during ischaemia. Verapamil also ameliorated the effects of ischaemia and reperfusion on arrhythmia and infarct. It should be noted that 1 microM verapamil, that produced comparable effects on infarct and arrhythmia to the RST extract and Tet, further inhibited heart rate during ischaemia. The results indicate that the RST extract produces equally potent cardioprotective and anti-arrhythmic effects as Tet alone. Both RST extract and Tet may be better choices for the treatment of arrhythmia and infarct induced by myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion than the classical Ca2+ channel blocker, verapamil as they do not further reduce heart rate during ischaemia.     

Effect of thapsigargin on cytosolic Ca2+ level and amylase release in rat parotid acinar cells.

At concentrations greater than 0.01 microM, thapsigargin (ThG) dose-dependently caused an increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in rat parotid acinar cells, as measured by the fluorescent Ca(2+)-indicator fura-2. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, a transient increase in [Ca2+]i by ThG was observed, and subsequent addition of carbachol (CCh) did not produce a further [Ca2+]i response, suggesting that ThG released Ca2+ from the CCh-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ pool. Since ThG did not stimulate formation of inositol phosphates, the ThG-induced Ca2+ mobilization is independent of phosphoinositide breakdown. High concentrations (greater than 0.1 microM) of ThG induced amylase release from rat parotide acini, but the effect was very poor as compared with that of CCh or the protein kinase C activator, PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate). Combined addition of ThG and PMA modestly potentiated amylase release induced by PMA alone. These results support the view that amylase release by muscarinic stimulation is mediated mainly by activation of protein kinase C rather than a rise in [Ca2+]i, although Ca2+ may modulate the secretory response.     

Simultaneous exposure to ATP and phenylephrine induces a sustained elevation in the intracellular calcium concentration in supraoptic neurons

Vasopressin (VP) release from the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system (HNS) is stimulated by ATP activation of P2X purinergic receptors and by activation of 1-adrenergic receptors by phenylephrine (PE). These responses are potentiated by simultaneous exposure to ATP+PE. Potentiation was blocked by depleting intracellular calcium stores with thapsigargin. To test the hypothesis that the synergistic response to ATP+PE reflects alterations in the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i), [Ca2+]i was monitored in supraoptic neurons in HNS explants loaded with fura 2-AM. Both ATP and PE induced rapid, but transient, elevations in [Ca2+]i. In 0.3 mM Ca2+, the peak response to ATP was greater than to PE but did not differ from the peak response to ATP+PE. A sustained elevation in [Ca2+]i was induced by ATP+PE, that was greater than ATP or PE alone. In 2 mM Ca2+, the peak response to ATP+PE was significantly greater than to either ATP or PE alone, and the sustained response to ATP+PE was greater than to either agent alone. Responses were comparable in the presence of TTX. The sustained elevation in [Ca2+]i was also observed when ATP+PE was removed after 1 min, but it was eliminated by either thapsigargin or removing external calcium, indicating that both calcium influx and calcium release from internal stores are required. Some cells were vasopressinergic based on a VP-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. These observations support the hypothesis that simultaneous exposure to ATP+PE induces a different pattern of [Ca2+]i than either agent alone that may initiate events leading to synergistic stimulation of VP release.     

Control of cytosolic free calcium in rat and chicken osteoclasts. The role of extracellular calcium and calcitonin

Single cell [Ca2+], studies were performed in chicken and rat osteoclasts loaded with fura-2 and exposed to a variety of treatments. Under resting conditions, basal [Ca2+]i, was 79.2 +/- 47.3 and 84.3 +/- 65.7 nM (averages +/- S.D.; n = 141 and 126) in the osteoclasts of the two species, respectively. Basal [Ca2+]i was stable in all rat and in approximately 80% of chicken osteoclasts. In the remaining 20%, spontaneous, irregular [Ca2+], fluctuations were observed (amplitude range: 50-200 nm over basal values). Increase of [Ca2+]o over the concentration of the Krebs-Ringer incubation medium (2 mM) induced rises of [Ca2+] in almost all cells investigated. [Ca2+] rises were already appreciable with 0.5 mM [Ca2+]o additions and reached high values with 4 mM additions: 390 +/- 113 and 364 +/- 214 nM [Ca2+], in rat and chicken osteoclasts, respectively (n = 122 and 101). Qualitatively, the responses to [Ca2+]o additions consisted of discrete [Ca2+]i transients, biphasic (an initial spike followed by a plateau), or monophasic (either the spike or the plateau). In a few chicken osteoclasts, the [Ca2+]i increase occurring after [Ca2+]o addition consisted of multiple, irregular fluctuations, similar to those observed in 20% of these cells under resting conditions. In individual osteoclasts subsequently exposed to multiple [Ca2+]o increase pulses, the type of the [Ca2+]i transient (mono- or biphasic) was maintained, and the size was dependent on the magnitude of the [Ca2+]o additions. Effects similar to those of [Ca2+]o were induced by the addition of Cd2+ or Ba2+ (but not La3+ or Mg2+) into the medium. The Cd2+ effect was maintained in part even in a Ca2+-free medium. Of various hormones and factors, parathormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and prostaglandin E2 were inactive. In contrast, calcitonin was active in rat osteoclasts (which express numerous receptors). [Ca2+]i increases were small (19 +/- 17.9 nM; n = 21) when the hormone was administered alone; they were synergistic (severalfold potentiation) when the hormone was administered before or after [Ca2+]o. The [Ca2+]i effects of calcitonin were mimicked by 8Br-cAMP (31 +/- 26 nM; n = 12) when the nucleotide was administered alone; marked synergism when it was administered in combination with [Ca2+]o. This paper demonstrates for the first time that changes of [Ca2+]i are induced in osteoclasts by treatments with [Ca2+]o and calcitonin and can therefore be involved in intracellular mediation of the physiological effects of these two extracellular signals.     

Sphingosine stimulates calcium mobilization in rat parotid acinar cells

In fura-2-loaded parotid acinar cells, 50-200 microM sphingosine induced an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). When extracellular Ca2+ was chelated by EGTA, 50 microM sphingosine failed to increase [Ca2+]i, but 100 or 200 microM sphingosine induced a slight and transient increase in [Ca2+]i. The addition of LaCl3 to the medium resulted in the same effect as chelation of extracellular Ca2+. When cells were incubated in low Ca2+ medium containing sphingosine, and extracellular Ca2+ was subsequently added, a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i depending on the concentration of sphingosine was shown. In low Ca2+ medium, a slight increase in [Ca2+]i induced by high concentrations of sphingosine was not shown after the transient increase in [Ca2+]i elicited by methacholine. Inhibitors of protein kinase C, H-7 and K252a, did not mimic the effect of sphingosine on [Ca2+]i. These results suggest that sphingosine stimulates Ca(2+)-influx and further stimulates the release of Ca2+ from agonist-sensitive intracellular pools by a mechanism that is independent of protein kinase C.     

内皮素对培养心肌细胞内游离钙浓度的作用

实验用培养新生ＳＤ大鼠心室肌细胞,以Ｆｕｒａ－２／ＡＭ荧光指示剂负载检测收肌细胞内游离钙浓度（「Ｃａ＾２＋」）的变化,探讨内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）对「Ｃａ＾２＋」ｉ的作用及其机制。结果显示：ＥＴ－１引起心肌细胞「Ｃａ＾２＋」ｉ升高有两个时相,瞬时相持续相。ＥＴ－１诱导的瞬时相「Ｃａ＾２＋」ｉ升高呈浓度依赖性,预先用ＥＴＡ特异性受阻断剂ＢＱ１２３处理,可阻断ＥＴ－１引起的「Ｃａ＾２＋」ｉ升高,揭示上述     

Relationship between cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and amylase release in rat parotid acinar cells following muscarinic stimulation.

Carbachol (CCh), a muscarinic-cholinergic agonist, increased both cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and amylase release in rat parotid acinar cells or acini in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of acinar cells with the intracellular Ca2+ antagonist, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8), or the intracellular Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(O-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), strongly attenuated the increases in [Ca2+]i evoked by CCh, but amylase release from acini was not significantly suppressed by the treatment with TMB-8 or BAPTA. Low concentrations (0.02-0.5 microM) of ionomycin, a Ca2+ ionophore, caused increases in [Ca2+]i comparable to those induced by CCh, but the same concentrations had only a little effect on amylase release. The protein kinase C activator, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulated amylase release in quantities similar to those induced by CCh, although TPA alone did not cause any change in [Ca2+]i. Combined addition of TPA and ionomycin potentiated only modestly amylase release stimulated by TPA alone. Staurosporine, a protein kinase C-inhibitor, similarly inhibited both the CCh- and TPA-induced amylase release. These results suggest that an increase in [Ca2+]i elicited by CCh does not play an essential role for inducing amylase release in rat parotid acini. Amylase release by muscarinic stimulation may be mediated mainly by activation of protein kinase C.     

Transient but not oscillating component of the calcium mobilizing response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone depends on calcium influx in pituitary gonadotrophs.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-stimulated changes in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were studied in gonadotrophs cultured from 3-week ovariectomized rat pituitaries. One animal was used per cell preparation. [Ca2+]i was monitored in individual gonadotrophs by dual emission microspectrofluorimetry, using Indo-1 as the intracellular fluorescent Ca2+ probe. A short stimulation with GnRH evoked a complex concentration-dependent Ca2+ response in individual gonadotrophs. 0.1-1 nM GnRH triggered a series of sinusoidal-like [Ca2+]i oscillations superimposed upon a modest slow [Ca2+]i rise--the oscillating response mode--while 10-100 nM GnRH caused a biphasic increase in [Ca2+]i consisting of a monophasic transient and oscillations--the transient/oscillating response mode. Despite the consistency of Ca2+ responses, an inter-preparation heterogeneity of [Ca2+]i oscillations frequency was noticed. Moreover, we observed that, within a given cell preparation, the frequency of [Ca2+]i oscillations was independent of GnRH concentration whereas both peak [Ca2+]i and area under the [Ca2+]i versus time curve were concentration-dependent. Thus, in gonadotrophs, the presence of the GnRH signal would lead to [Ca2+]i oscillations, while the amplitude of the [Ca2+]i responses would code for the concentration of agonist. Both transient and oscillating components of GnRH responses depended on releasing activity of Ca(2+)-sequestering pools in as much as GnRH responses were unaffected by brief removal of external Ca2+, but suppressed by chelating intracellular free Ca2+ with BAPTA. However, prolonged exposure to a Ca(2+)-free medium suppressed the transient component while leaving the oscillating component unaffected. We therefore propose that gonadotrophs employ Ca(2+)-sequestering pools, whose maintenance depends on a slow Ca(2+)-entry, to give an amplitude-coded Ca2+ rise in response to a short GnRH stimulation.     

Prostaglandins enhance parathyroid hormone-evoked increase in free cytosolic calcium concentration in osteoblast-like cells.

Prostaglandins (PGs) are autocrine or paracrine hormones that may interact with circulating hormones such as parathyroid hormone (PTH) in bone. We examined the interaction of the PGs, PGF2 alpha, PGE2, and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha with PTH to enhance the rapid, initial transient rise in free cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) and cAMP levels stimulated by PTH. Pretreatment of UMR-106, MC3T3-E1, and neonatal rat calvarial osteoblast-like cells by PGs resulted in an enhancement of the early transient rise in [Ca2+]i stimulated by PTH. PGF2 alpha was approximately 100 times more potent than PGE2. PGE2 itself was more potent than 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in enhancing PTH-stimulated rise in [Ca2+]i. Near-maximal augmentation was achieved at PGF2 alpha doses of 10 nM and PGE2 of 1 microM. The degree of augmentation in [Ca2+]i by PGF2 alpha was independent of preincubation time. PGF2 alpha pretreatment did not alter the EC50 for the PTH-induced [Ca2+]i increase but only the extent of rise in [Ca2+]i at each dose of PTH. The augmented increase in [Ca2+]i was mostly due to enhanced PTH-mediated release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. PGF2 alpha did not stimulate an increase in PTH receptor number as assessed by [125I]-PTH-related peptide binding. PG pretreatment partially reversed PTH inhibition of cell proliferation, suggesting that an increase in [Ca2+]i may play a role in tempering the anti-proliferative effect of PTH mediated by cAMP. These studies suggest a new mode by which PGs can affect cellular activity.     

Characteristics of intracellular calcium changes required for augmentation of phorbol ester-stimulated pancreatic enzyme secretion

Previous studies demonstrated that Ca2+ ionophores augment the pancreatic enzyme secretion caused by phorbol esters. The present study was performed to determine the nature of the cellular Ca2+ effects responsible for the augmentation. Relatively low concentrations (0.3-1.0 microM) of the nonfluorescent Ca2+ ionophore, 4-bromo-A23187 (Br-A23187), did not measurably increase free cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and caused little or no enzyme release from guinea pig pancreatic acini. However, these concentrations of Br-A23187 augmented the amylase release caused by the phorbol ester, 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). This augmentation occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ as long as the intracellular agonist-sensitive pool contained Ca2+. Greater concentrations of Br-A23187 (3-10 microM) alone caused transient increases in [Ca2+]i and transient increases in amylase release. Although not resulting in an increase in [Ca2+]i, the low concentrations of Br-A23187 caused release of Ca2+ from the intracellular agonist-sensitive pool. These results suggest that Ca2+ mediates enzyme release by two distinct mechanisms in the pancreatic acinar cell. First, an increase in [Ca2+]i alone mediates enzyme release. Second, Ca2+ release from the agonist-sensitive pool not resulting in a measurable increase in [Ca2+]i augments enzyme release stimulated by a phorbol ester. The second effect of Ca2+ may be due to a small localized change in cell Ca2+ or an induction of cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations.     

Intracellular calcium responses in bovine oocytes induced by spermatozoa and by reagents

The objectives of the present study were to clarify and compare the characteristics of the transient rises in intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) induced either by spermatozoa or by stimulation with artificial activators in bovine oocytes. These transient rises in [Ca2+]i in oocytes matured in vitro were recorded with Ca2+ imaging using the Ca2+ indicator fura-2. During fertilization, a series of transient rises in [Ca2+]i was observed. The first Ca2+ response peaked at a concentration of 521 +/- 39 nM (n = 20) and lasted for 4 min, while the subsequent Ca2+ responses were significantly smaller and shorter, with a peak of 368 +/- 13 nM (n = 23) and a duration of 2 min. Injection of inositol 1,4,5- triphosphate (InsP3) into unfertilized oocytes caused a transient rise in [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner. The maximum response was induced by 20 nA x 1 sec injection of InsP3. Thimerosal, a sulfhydryl reagent, induced the repetitive transient rises in [Ca2+]i. The peak and the duration of the rises in [Ca2+]i induced by InsP3 or thimerosal were smaller and shorter, respectively, than those of the first rise induced by spermatozoa. Ethanol and Ca2+ ionophore IA23187, which are general parthenogenetic activators of unfertilized oocytes, each induced a single transient rise in [Ca2+]i. The duration of the rise in [Ca2+]i by ethanol or Ca2+ ionophore was significantly longer than that by spermatozoa at fertilization, although the peaks were smaller. These results clarified the characteristics of the rises in [Ca2+]i induced by spermatozoa and by several artificial reagents, and showed that the first rise in [Ca2+]i induced by spermatozoa had a higher peak [Ca2+]i and a longer duration compared with each the subsequent rises in [Ca2+]i and the rises in [Ca2+]i induced by artificial reagents. These indicate that a mode like as the first rise in [Ca2+]i induced by spermatozoa is an effective trigger for artificial activation of oocytes.     

Endothelin increases [Ca2+]i in rat pancreatic acinar cells by intracellular release but fails to increase amylase secretion.

In individual fura-2 loaded cells of rat pancreatic acini endothelin-1 (ET-1) (10-50 nM) induced sustained oscillations in [Ca2+]i. At higher concentrations a larger, but transient increase in [Ca2+]i was observed, which was largely unaffected by removal of extracellular Ca2+. ET-1 induced the release of Ca2+i from the same store as cholecystokinin (CCK), but with less potency. At concentrations of endothelin which transiently increased Ca2+, ET-1 increased the accumulation of inositol phosphates. Specific binding sites for 125I-endothelin were demonstrated on rat pancreatic acini. A single class of binding sites was identified with an apparent Kd 108 +/- 12 pM and Bmax of 171 +/- 17 fmol/mg for ET-1. The relative potency order for displacing [125I]ET was ET-1 greater than ET-2 greater than ET-3. In contrast to CCK and the non-phorbol ester tumour promoter Thapsigargin (TG) which induce both transient and sustained components of [Ca2+]i elevation, ET-1 failed to increase amylase release over the range 100 pM-1 microM.     

Effect of thyroid state on cytosolic free calcium in resting and electrically stimulated cardiac myocytes

The effects of the thyroid state on the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, of resting and K+-depolarized cardiomyocytes were studied using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura2. The mean resting [Ca2+]i in euthyroid myocytes (89 +/- 8 nM) was not significantly different from that in hyperthyroid myocytes (100 +/- 14 nM). The resting O2-consumption rate was identical for both groups when expressed per mg protein, but a 35% higher value was observed in the hyperthyroid group when expressed per cell on account of the cellular hypertrophy induced by thyroid hormone. Potassium induced depolarization (50 mM [K+]0) raised the level of [Ca2+]i by 50% in both groups. When ATP-coupled respiration was blocked with oligomycin, the 50 mM K+-induced rise in [Ca2+]i was accompanied in both groups by a 40% rise in glycolytic activity as inferred from measurement of lactate production. Ca2+-fluorescence transients were recorded from electrically stimulated myocytes of euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rats. The time taken to reach peak fluorescence (TPL) and that to 50% decay of peak fluorescence (RL0.5) decreased in the direction hypothyroid----hyperthyroid, indicating an increase in Ca2+ fluxes in the same direction. Isoproterenol (1 microM) enhanced the peak Ca2+ fluorescence in electrically stimulated hypothyroid and euthyroid myocytes but not in hyperthyroid myocytes. Both the TPL and RL0.5 were decreased by isoproterenol in euthyroid, but more so in hypothyroid myocytes. None of these parameters were influenced by isoproterenol in the hyperthyroid group. We conclude that (1) thyroid hormone increases neither the O2-consumption rate nor the level of [Ca2+]i of resting cardiomyocytes and (2) the effects of the beta-receptor-agonist isoproterenol on Ca2+ transients of electrically stimulated myocytes, are inversely related to the documented changes in beta-receptor density in heart tissue occurring with alterations in the thyroid state.     

Protein kinase C-activated calcium channel in the osteoblast-like clonal osteosarcoma cell line UMR-106

The effects of protein kinase C stimulation on free cytosolic Ca2+ [( Ca2+]i) were studied in Fura 2-loaded UMR-106 cells. Stimulation of the protein kinase C with the tumor-promoting phorbol esters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and phorbol 12,13-diacetate or 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol was followed by an increase in [Ca2+]i. The protein kinase C-induced increase in [Ca2+]i has a lag period, the duration of which was dependent on the stimulant and medium Ca2+ concentrations. With 2 microM TPA, the rise in [Ca2+]i peaked within 1.5 min, after which [Ca2+]i returned partially toward base line. The increase in [Ca2+]i was absolutely dependent on the presence of medium Ca2+ and was inhibited by the Ca2+ channel blockers nicardipine and verapamil. Cell stimulation also results in Ca2+ release from intracellular pool(s) which appears to be mediated by a Ca2+-dependent Ca2+ release mechanism. The reduction in [Ca2+]i was due to channel inactivation. Pretreatment of the cells with 1 nM TPA, 2 units/ml parathyroid hormone (PTH), or 15 microM forskolin blocked the effect of 2 microM TPA on [Ca2+]i. TPA and PTH were more potent inhibitors than was forskolin. The properties of this channel are compared to the cAMP-independent PTH-stimulated Ca2+ channel present in these cells.     

Intracellular calcium 'signatures' evoked by different agonists in isolated bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Agonist induced increases in intracellular free calcium, [Ca2+]i, were measured in single Fura-2 loaded bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells by dual wavelength microspectrofluorimetry. Low doses of ATP (less than 10 microM) induced complex changes in [Ca2+]i. These changes usually consisted of a large initial transient peak with subsequent fluctuations superimposed upon a maintained rise in [Ca2+]i. Higher doses of ATP (greater than 50 microM) produced much simpler biphasic increases in [Ca2+]i in individual cells. Acetylcholine and bradykinin also elicited increases in [Ca2+]i in single cells in confluent monolayers of endothelial cells. However, only acetylcholine produced complex fluctuations. High doses of acetylcholine evoked simple rises in [Ca2+]i similar to those seen with high doses of ATP. In contrast, bradykinin evoked relatively simple rises in [Ca2+]i at all doses used. These results indicate that the mechanisms responsible for generating agonist induced increases in [Ca2+]i in BAE cells are not homogeneous. ATP and acetylcholine produced more complex Ca2+ changes or 'signatures' in single confluent bovine aortic endothelial cells than bradykinin. All three agonists appeared to release Ca2+ from intracellular stores as well as stimulating Ca2+ influx. The possible mechanisms underlying these phenomena are discussed.     

Immunoglobulin E receptor cross-linking induces oscillations in intracellular free ionized calcium in individual tumor mast cells

Fura-2 fluorescence in single rat basophilic leukemia cells was monitored to study the rise in intracellular free ionized calcium ([Ca2+]i) produced by aggregation of immunoglobulin E receptors. Repetitive transient increases in [Ca2+]i were induced by antigen stimulation and were measured using digital video imaging microscopy at high time resolution. The [Ca2+]i oscillations were not dependent upon changes in the membrane potential of the cells and were observed in cells stimulated with antigen either with or without extracellular Ca2+. Transient oscillations in [Ca2+]i were also observed when calcium influx was blocked with La3+. These results suggested that during antigen stimulation of cells under normal physiological conditions, release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores makes an important contribution to the initial increase in [Ca2+]i. Oscillations in [Ca2+]i are not induced by elevating [Ca2+]i with the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Mitochondrial calcium buffering is not required for [Ca2+]i oscillations to occur. The results show that rat basophilic leukemia cells have significant stores of calcium and that release of calcium from these stores can participate in both the initial rise and the oscillations in [Ca2+]i.     

Inhibition by L-arginine of the endothelin-mediated increase in cytosolic calcium in human neutrophils

The effect of endothelin (ET) on the cytosolic-free calcium [(Ca2+]i) changes in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from normal humans and Wistar rats was investigated. ET induced a dose-related [Ca2+]i peak. This [Ca2+]i transient was blunted by TMB-8 (10(-5)M) and by Ca(2+)-free EGTA medium, therefore suggesting a role of both intracellular Ca2+ release and Ca2+ influx in the generation of the [Ca2+]i peak. Preincubation of PMN with the nitric oxide (NO)-donor L-arginine (L-Arg) markedly blocked the ET-induced [Ca2+]i transient in an enantiomerically-specific manner. A similar blunting effect of L-Arg on the fMLP (10(-7)M)-induced [Ca2+]i transient was detected. The L-Arg antagonist, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), reverted the L-Arg blocking effect on both ET- and fMLP-induced [Ca2+]i transients. These data suggest that ET has a potential role in activating Ca2+ mobilization in PMN, an effect that can be inhibited by L-Arg.     

Mobilization of intracellular calcium by endothelin in Swiss 3T3 cells

When intracellular free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) was monitored in fura2-loaded Swiss 3T3 cells, endothelin increased [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner; after the addition of endothelin, an initial transient peak was observed immediately and was followed by a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i lasting at least 5 min. 45Ca2+ efflux and influx experiments in endothelin-stimulated Swiss 3T3 cells revealed that the change in [Ca2+]i could be explained by a dual mechanism; an initial transient peak induced mainly by the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and the sustained increase by an influx of extracellular Ca2+. Cellular generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and cyclic AMP were not induced by endothelin, suggesting that other cellular mediators with the capacity to release Ca2+ from intracellular stores play a significant role in the signal transduction pathway of endothelin in Swiss 3T3 cells.     

Fluoroaluminate activation of different components of the calcium signal in an exocrine cell.

In isolated cells from the avian supra-orbital nasal gland, used as a model for exocrine ion secretion, addition of NaF (2-15 mM) produced a slow Al3(+)-enhanced increase in intracellular Ca2+ concn. ([Ca2+]i), resulting in a more than 2-fold sustained elevation in [Ca2+]i. Simultaneously, cellular Ins(1,4,5)P3 contents became markedly elevated, suggesting an AlF4- activation of a phospholipase C-specific G-protein. Subsequent addition of the muscarinic agonist carbachol failed to produce any further sustained increase in [Ca2+]i, indicating that the AlF4(-)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i involves a Ca2(+)-entry pathway identical with that activated by carbachol. In low-Ca2+ media (extracellular [Ca2+] = 0.04 mM) no such increase in [Ca2+]i, either sustained or transient, is seen, although cellular Ins(1,4,5)P3 levels were markedly elevated. Despite the failure to observe any change in [Ca2+]i in the low-Ca2+ medium, estimation of the size of the agonist-sensitive Ca2+ stores (determined as the magnitude of the transient change in [Ca2+]i induced by carbachol) revealed that these are progressively emptied by the action of AlF4-. However, the onset of this emptying showed an initial lag period of at least 2 min (with 5 mM-NaF plus 10 microM-AlCl3). In marked contrast, determinations of the magnitude of the Ca2(+)-entry pathway under identical conditions showed that this was significantly activated after as little as 1 min of AlF4- treatment. This suggests that, under these conditions, activation of Ca2+ entry in these cells preceded the release of Ca2+ from agonist-sensitive stores, contradicting current models in which the receptor-enhanced entry of extracellular Ca2+ is entirely dependent on, and subsequent to, the prior release of Ca2+ from the intracellular stores.     

Myoplasmic free calcium concentration reached during the twitch of an intact isolated cardiac cell and during calcium-induced release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of a skinned cardiac cell from the adult rat or rabbit ventricle

Intact cardiac cells from the adult rat or rabbit ventricle were isolated by enzymatic digestion with a progressive increase of the [free Ca2+] in the solution. These cells were electrically stimulated in the presence of 2.50 mM free Ca2+, and a twitch of maximum amplitude was elicited by the positive inotropic interventions that were found to be optimum. Then the cells were chemically skinned, and the maximum tension induced by a saturating [free Ca2+] was used as a reference to express the tension developed during the twitch of the intact cells. The myoplasmic [free Ca2+] reached during the twitch was inferred from the tension-pCa curve. In mechanically skinned cells of the same animal species, the myoplasmic [free Ca2+] reached during Ca2+-induced release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was inferred by two methods using (a) the tension-pCa curve and (b) a direct calibration of the transients of aequorin bioluminescence. The induction of a maximum Ca2+ release from the SR required a larger Ca2+ preload of the SR and a higher [free Ca2+] trigger in the rabbit than in the rat skinned cells. However, the results obtained with the two methods of inference of the myoplasmic [free Ca2+] suggest that in both animal species a maximum myoplasmic [free Ca2+] of pCa approximately 5.40 was reached during both the optimum Ca2+-induced release of Ca2+ from the SR of the skinned cells and the optimum twitch of the intact cells. This was much lower than the [free Ca2+] necessary for the full activation of the myofilaments (pCa approximately 4.90).