Looking forward to seeing calcium

From molecules, single cells and tissues to whole organisms, our insights into Ca2+ signalling and the corresponding physiological phenomena are growing exponentially. Here, we describe the improvements that have been made in the development of the probes and instrumentation that are used for Ca2+ imaging and the expanding applications of Ca2+ imaging in basic and applied research.     

Presence and location of endothelin and endothelin-binding sites in human nasal mucosa under normal and metaplastic conditions

The presence and site of production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) was investigated in biopsies obtained from the nasal mucosa of 10 healthy human subjects and 10 patients affected by chronic rhinitis. The presence and localization of receptors for ET-1 was also investigated. Bioptic fragments were examined by scanning electron microscopy. ET-1 was present in the vessels and in the respiratory epithelium of normal subjects, whereas in patients affected by epithelial metaplasia induced by chronic rhinitis, it was absent in the metaplastic epithelium and present in the endothelium and vascular wall. Receptors for ET (A- and B-receptor subtypes) were localized in the vessels of the nasal mucosa, both in normal and in pathological subjects. In particular, A-receptors were identified in the vascular wall, whereas B-receptors were mainly distributed in the endothelium. We suggest that ET-1 is involved in the homeostasis of nasal blood flow (shunting the blood toward the deep cavernous plexus and inducing mucosal swelling) by an autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism. Normal epithelium seems to be important in this mechanism, since it is able to produce ET. However, when pathologic conditions induce squamous or cuboidal metaplasia, the epithelium is no longer able to play this role.     

Intracellular targeting of the photoprotein aequorin: A new approach for measuring,in living cells,Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> concentrations in defined cellular compartments

We here present a novel method, based on the targeting of the photoprotein aequorin, for measuring the concentration of Ca²⁺ ions in defined cellular compartments of intact cells. In this contribution we will discuss the application to mitochondria. A chimaeric cDNA was constructed by fusing in frame the aequorin cDNA with that for a mitochondrial protein. The cDNA encoded a “mitochondrially-targeted” aequorin, composed of a typical mitochondrial targeting signal at the N-terminus and the photoprotein at the C-terminus. The cDNA, inserted in the expression vector pMT2, was co-transfected into bovine endothelial and HeLa cells together with the selectable plasmid pSV2-neo and stable transfectants, selected for high aequorin production, were analyzed. In subcellular fractionations, aequorin was shown to be localized in mitochondria; in intact cells, the first direct measurement of mitochondrial free Ca²⁺, [Ca²⁺]_m, were obtained, which showed that [Ca²⁺]_m is low at rest (<0.5 μM), but rapidly increases to the micromolar range upon cell stimulation [1]. These data indicate that mitochondria “sense” very accurately the cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i), and after cell stimulation [Ca²⁺]_m rises to values capable of activating the Ca²⁺-sensitive mitochondrial dehydrogenases.     

Proton electrochemical gradient and phosphate potential in mitochondria

The paper reports an analysis of the relationship between deltamuH the proton electrochemical potential difference, and deltaGp, the phosphate potential. Depression of deltamuH and deltaGp has been obtained by titration with: (a) carbonylcyanide trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone; (b) nigericin (+ valinomycin); (c) KCl (+ valinomycin); and (d) rotenone. The uncoupler depresses deltamuH more than nigericin (+ valinomycin), KCl (+ valinomycin) and rotenone at equivalent deltaGp. The deltaGp/deltamuH ratio is about 3 at high values of deltamuH. When deltaGp and deltamuH are depressed by nigericin (4 valinomycin) the deltaGp/deltamuH ratio remains constant. When deltaGp and deltamuH are depressed by uncouplers, the deltaGp/deltamuH ratio increases hyperbolically tending to infinity while deltamuH tends to zero. The absence of constant proportionality between deltaGp and deltamuH indicates that the proton gradients driving ATP synthesis presumably operate within microscopic environments.     

Proton electrochemical gradient and rate of controlled respiration in mitochondria

The correlation between deltamuH, the proton electrochemical potential difference, and the rate of controlled respiration is analyzed. deltamuH (the proton concentration gradient) is measured on the distribution of [3H]acetate, and deltapsi (the membrane potential) on the distribution of 86Rb+, 45Ca2+ and [3H]triphenylmethylphosphonium used either alone or simultaneously. The effects of the addition of ADP + hexokinase (state-3 ADP) and of carbonylcyanide trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (state-3 uncoupler) on respiration and deltamuH are not equivalent: the uncoupler depresses deltamuH more than ADP at equivalent respiratory rates. The effects of the additions of nigericin-valinomycin and of ionophore A23187 (state-3 cation transport) and of carbonylcyanide trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone (state 3-uncoupler) on respiration and deltamuH are also not equivalent: the uncoupler depresses deltamuH more than A23187 and nigericin + valinomycin at equivalent respiratory rate. A23187 is very efficient in stimulating respiration with negligible deltamuH changes.     

Kinetic evidence for a common mechanism of capping on lymphocytes

1. Differences in the rates at which ligands cap various receptors on the same cells, and their sensitivity to various drugs, have been interpreted as evidence that there are distinct mechanisms for `fast' and `slow' cap formation. We have examined the factors which determine the rate of cap formation of three receptors on mouse splenic lymphocytes or thymocytes, and compared the effects of cytochalasin B or colchicine under conditions where the different receptors cap at similar rates. 2. When surface immunoglobulin, concanavalin A receptors, or θ antigen are induced to cap at their maximal rates by appropriate concentrations of one or more cross-linking ligands, the half-time for maximal capping of each receptor population is between 1.5 and 3.0min at 37°C. Slower rates of cap formation are obtained by using non-optimal concentrations of the cross-linking ligands. 3. When the three receptors were induced to cap at similar rates (either maximal or slower), 10μm-cytochalasin B caused a similar decrease in the rate of cap formation for each receptor, without affecting the eventual extent of capping. At comparable capping rates on control cells, colchicine (10μm) increased the rate of cap formation for surface immunoglobulin and concanavalin A receptors to a similar extent, without affecting the eventual extent of cap formation. In contrast, colchicine had no detectable effect on the capping of θ antigen. 4. From these results, we conclude that there are no intrinsic differences in the rates at which different receptors can be induced to cap that can be used to diagnose differences in their mechanisms of cap formation. The observation that ligand concentration and the drugs acting on the cytoskeleton generally affect the rate but not the extent of cap formation accounts for the wide variation in reported effects of the drugs on cap formation measured at fixed times. The receptor-specific effect of colchicine on surface immunoglobulin and concanavalin A receptors, but not θ antigen, is not readily compatible with models of cap formation which depend on lipid or membrane flow.     

PDMP blocks the BFA-induced ADP-ribosylation of BARS-50 in isolated Golgi membranes.

We reported that an inhibitor of sphingolipid biosynthesis, D, L-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP), blocks brefeldin A (BFA)-induced retrograde membrane transport from the Golgi complex to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (Kok et al., 1998, J. Cell Biol. 142, 25-38). We now show that PDMP partially blocks the BFA-induced ADP-ribosylation of the cytosolic protein BARS-50. Moreover, PDMP does not interfere with the BFA-induced inhibition of the binding of ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) and the coatomer component beta-coat protein to Golgi membranes. These results are consistent with a role of ADP-ribosylation in the action of BFA and with the involvement of BARS-50 in the regulation of membrane trafficking.     

Phosphorylation of rat brain calpastatins by protein kinase C.

Calpastatin, the natural inhibitor of calpain, is present in rat brain in multiple forms, having different molecular masses, due to the presence of one (low Mr form) or four (high Mr form) repetitive inhibitory domains. Recombinant and native calpastatin forms are substrates of protein kinase C, which phosphorylates a single serine residue at their N-terminus. Furthermore, both low and high Mr calpastatins are phosphorylated by protein kinase C at the same site. These calpastatin forms are phosphorylated also by protein kinase A, although with a lower efficiency. The incorporation of a phosphate group determines an increase in the concentration of Ca2+ required to induce the formation of the calpain-calpastatin complex. This effect results in a large decrease of the inhibitory efficiency of calpastatins. We suggest that phosphorylation of calpastatin represents a mechanism capable to balance the actual amount of active calpastatin to the level of calpain to be activated.     

Localization of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid oxidase, and glutathione in roots of Cucurbita maxima L

To understand the function of ascorbic acid (ASC) in root development, the distribution of ASC, ASC oxidase, and glutathione (GSH) were investigated in cells and tissues of the root apex of Cucubita maxima. ASC was regularly distributed in the cytosol of almost all root cells, with the exception of quiescent centre (QC) cells. ASC also occurred at the surface of the nuclear membrane and correspondingly in the nucleoli. No ASC could be observed in vacuoles. ASC oxidase was detected by immunolocalization mainly in cell walls and vacuoles. This enzyme was particularly abundant in the QC and in differentiating vascular tissues and was absent in lateral root primordia. Administration of the ASC precursor L-galactono-gamma-lactone markedly increased ASC content in all root cells, including the QC. Root treatment with the ASC oxidized product, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), also increased ASC content, but caused ASC accumulation only in peripheral tissues, where DHA was apparently reduced at the expense of GSH. The different pattern of distribution of ASC in different tissues and cell compartments reflects its possible role in cell metabolism and root morphogenesis.