Cholecystokinin-evoked Ca(2+) waves in isolated mouse pancreatic acinar cells are modulated by activation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2), phospholipase D, and protein kinase C.

We employed confocal laser-scanning microscopy to monitor cholecystokinin (CCK)-evoked Ca(2+) signals in fluo-3-loaded mouse pancreatic acinar cells. CCK-8-induced Ca(2+) signals start at the luminal cell pole and subsequently spread toward the basolateral membrane. Ca(2+) waves elicited by stimulation of high-affinity CCK receptors (h.a.CCK-R) with 20 pM CCK-8 spread with a slower rate than those induced by activation of low-affinity CCK receptors (l.a. CCK-R) with 10 nM CCK-8. However, the magnitude of the initial Ca(2+) release was the same at both CCK-8 concentrations, suggesting that the secondary Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores is modulated by activation of different intracellular pathways in response to low and high CCK-8 concentrations. Our experiments suggest that the propagation of Ca(2+) waves is modulated by protein kinase C (PKC) and arachidonic acid (AA). The data indicate that h.a. CCK-R are linked to phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) cascades, whereas l.a.CCK-R are coupled to PLC and phospholipase D (PLD) cascades. The products of PLA(2) and PLD activation, AA and diacylglycerol (DAG), cause inhibition of Ca(2+) wave propagation by yet unknown mechanisms.