The effect of capsazepine and nonylphenol on cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in MDCK renal tubular cells is unclear. This study explored whether capsazepine and nonylphenol changed basal [Ca2+]i levels in suspended MDCK cells by using fura-2 as a Ca2+-selective fluorescent dye. Capsazepine at concentrations between 10 and 200 microM increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner. The Ca2+ signal was reduced partially by 40% after removing extracellular Ca2+. Capsazepine induced Mn2+ quench of fura-2 fluorescence, indirectly implicating Ca2+ entry. Capsazepine-induced Ca2+ influx was not changed by L-type Ca2+ entry inhibitors and protein kinase C modulators [phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and GF109203X]. In Ca2+-free medium, 100microM capsazepine-induced Ca2+ release was substantially suppressed by pretreatment with thapsigargin (an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor). Pretreatment with capsazepine nearly abolished thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ release. Nonylphenol also increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration- dependent manner like capsazepine does. Similar response in [Ca2+]i rise can be found by inhibition of phospholipase C and using thapsigargin. Different from capasazpine, the [Ca2+]i rise was inhibited by PMA. At concentrations between 5 and 100microM, nonylphenol killed cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Collectively, in MDCK cells, capsazepine induced [Ca2+]i rises by causing phospholipase C-independent Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ influx via non-L-type Ca2+ channels. Nonylphenol induced [Ca2+]i increase in MDCK cells via evoking Ca2+ entry through protein kinase C-regulated Ca2+ channels, and releasing Ca2+ from endoplasmic reticulum and other cellular storage in a phospholipase C-independent manner.

Acredita-se que sinais elétricos endógenos afetem remodelamento, metabolismo, reparo e crescimento ósseos. Existe uma ampla literatura que trata do efeito de sinais elétricos externos sobre as respostas de síntese, mitogênese e proliferação em osteoblastos e células ósseas in vitro. Acredita-se que as respostas fisiológicas ao estimulo elétrico sejam devidas a mecanismos celulares que envolvem variações na concentração citosólica de cálcio. No presente estudo esse efeito celular foi observado através da estimulação direta, por campo elétrico de intensidade fisiologicamente significativa de 10mV/cm e frequência 1,5 MHz, de células ósseas em cultura primária obtidas a partir da calota calvária de ratos da raça Sprague-Dawley. Os mecanismos de transdução do campo elétrico são investigados pela mensuração em tempo real do efeito do campo elétrico na concentração citosólica de Ca2+ utilizando-se técnica de fluorescência de Fura-2, em um sistema que permite a medida em células individuais. As estimulações elétricas resultaram em variações significativas na concentração de cálcio citosólico. Mais especificamente, observou-se um aumento na amplitude e na duração das oscilações de cálcio iônico, com tempos de latência variáveis para as células estudadas. / Endogenous electrical signals have been thought to affect bone remodeling, metabolism, healing and growth. Much literature exists concerning the effect of external electrical signals on synthetic, mitogenic, and proliferative responses of osteoblasts or osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Physiological responses to electrical stimulation are thought to be due to cellular mechanisms involving cytosolic calcium concentration changes. In this study this cellular effect was observed by directly stimulating primary culture bone cells from Sprague-Dawley rat calvaria at physiological significant field strength of 10 mV/cm and frequency 1,5 MHz. Electric field transduction mechanisms are investigated by measuring the real-time electric field effect on cytosolic Ca+2 concentrations using Fura-2 fluorescence technology in a system capable of measurement on a cell-by-cell basis. The electrical stimulations resulted in significant changes in cytosolic calcium concentration. More specifically, an increase was noted in calcium oscillation amplitude and duration, and a variable response latency period for the cells studied.

Acredita-se que sinais elétricos endógenos afetem remodelamento, metabolismo, reparo e crescimento ósseos. Existe uma ampla literatura que trata do efeito de sinais elétricos externos sobre as respostas de síntese, mitogênese e proliferação em osteoblastos e células ósseas in vitro. Acredita-se que as respostas fisiológicas ao estimulo elétrico sejam devidas a mecanismos celulares que envolvem variações na concentração citosólica de cálcio. No presente estudo esse efeito celular foi observado através da estimulação direta, por campo elétrico de intensidade fisiologicamente significativa de 10mV/cm e frequência 1,5 MHz, de células ósseas em cultura primária obtidas a partir da calota calvária de ratos da raça Sprague-Dawley. Os mecanismos de transdução do campo elétrico são investigados pela mensuração em tempo real do efeito do campo elétrico na concentração citosólica de Ca2+ utilizando-se técnica de fluorescência de Fura-2, em um sistema que permite a medida em células individuais. As estimulações elétricas resultaram em variações significativas na concentração de cálcio citosólico. Mais especificamente, observou-se um aumento na amplitude e na duração das oscilações de cálcio iônico, com tempos de latência variáveis para as células estudadas. / Endogenous electrical signals have been thought to affect bone remodeling, metabolism, healing and growth. Much literature exists concerning the effect of external electrical signals on synthetic, mitogenic, and proliferative responses of osteoblasts or osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Physiological responses to electrical stimulation are thought to be due to cellular mechanisms involving cytosolic calcium concentration changes. In this study this cellular effect was observed by directly stimulating primary culture bone cells from Sprague-Dawley rat calvaria at physiological significant field strength of 10 mV/cm and frequency 1,5 MHz. Electric field transduction mechanisms are investigated by measuring the real-time electric field effect on cytosolic Ca+2 concentrations using Fura-2 fluorescence technology in a system capable of measurement on a cell-by-cell basis. The electrical stimulations resulted in significant changes in cytosolic calcium concentration. More specifically, an increase was noted in calcium oscillation amplitude and duration, and a variable response latency period for the cells studied.

Abstract The effect of mercury (Hg2+), a known nephrotoxicant, on intracellular free Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i) in Madin Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells was explored. [Ca2+]i was measured by using the Ca2+-sensitive dye fura-2. Hg2+ increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 of 6 mM. The Ca2+ signal comprised a gradual increase. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ decreased the Hg2+-induced [Ca2+]i increase by 67%, suggesting that the Ca2+ signal was due to both extracellular Ca2+ influx and store Ca2+ release. In Ca2+-free medium, the Hg2+-induced [Ca2+]i increase was nearly abolished by pretreatment with 1 mM thapsigargin (an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor), and conversely, pretreatment with Hg2+ abolished thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ increase. Hg2+-induced Ca2+ release was not altered by inhibition of phospholiase C but was potentiated by activation of protein kinase C. Overnight treatment with 1 mM Hg2+ did not alter cell proliferation rate, but 10 mM Hg2+ killed all cells. Collectively, this study shows that Hg2+ induced protein kinase C-regulated [Ca2+]i increases in renal tubular cells via releasing store Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum in a manner independent of phospholipase C activity. Hg2+ also caused cytotoxicity at higher concentrations.

No description available.

No description available.

Cholestasis is an important liver pathology. During cholestasis bile acids accumulate in the bile canaliculus affecting hepatocyte viability. The actions of bile acids require changes in the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and in Ca2+ entry. The target(s) of the Ca2+ entry pathway affected by bile acids is, however, not known. The overall objective of the work described in this thesis was to elucidate the target(s) and mechanism(s) of bile acids-induced modulation of hepatocytes calcium homeostasis. First, it was shown that a 12 h pre-incubation with cholestatic bile acids (to mimic cholestasis conditions) induced the inhibition of Ca2+ entry through store-operated Ca2+ channels (SOCs), while the addition of choleretic bile acids to the incubation medium caused the reversible activation of Ca2+ entry through SOCs. Moreover, it was shown that incubation of liver cells with choleretic bile acids counteracts the inhibition of Ca2+ entry caused by pre-incubation with cholestatic bile acids. Thus, it was concluded that SOCs are the target of bile acids action in liver cells. Surprisingly, despite the effect of choleretic bile acids in activating SOCs, the Ca2+ dye fura-2 failed to detect choleretic bile acid-induced Ca2+ release from intracellular stores in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. However, under the same conditions, when the sub-plasma membrane Ca2+ levels were measured using FFP-18 Ca2+ dye, choleretic bile acid induced a transient increase in FFP-18 fluorescence. This evidence suggested that choleretic bile acids-induced activation of Ca2+ entry through SOCs, involving the release of Ca2+ from a region of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) located in the vicinity of the plasma membrane.

The effects of the antidepressant mirtazapine on cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in human prostate cancer PC3 cells and human osteosarcoma MG63 cells were measured by Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent probe fura-2. In Ca2+-containing medium, mirtazapine induced [Ca2+]i rises in a concentration-dependent manner in both PC3 and MG63 cells. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ inhibited the mirtazapine-induced Ca2+ signal. In Ca2+-free medium, thapsigargin (an inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase pump) induced [Ca2+]i rises by passively depleting the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store, after which the increasing effect of mirtazapine (1.5 mM) on [Ca2+]i was reduced. Conversely, pretreatment with mirtazapine decreased thapsigargin-induced [Ca2+]i rises in PC3 and MG63 cells. When PC3 cells were pretreated with U73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, mirtazapine-induced [Ca2+]i rises were inhibited by 47%. But in MG63 cells, 2 mM U73122 did not change mirtazapine-induced [Ca2+]i rises. These finding suggest that mirtazapine-induced [Ca2+]i rises were caused both by extracellular Ca2+ influx and intracellular depletion of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores. Furthermore, the mechanism of mirtazapine-induced Ca2+ release may be different between PC3 and MG63 cells. Additionally, cell proliferation assays suggest that overnight incubation with higher concentrations of mirtazapine decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been implicated in sepsis-mediated heart failure and chronic cardiac myopathies. We determined that LPS directly and reversibly affects cardiac myocyte function by altering regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in immortalized cardiomyocytes, HL-1 cells. [Ca2+]i oscillated (<0.4 Hz), displaying slow and transient components. LPS (1 μg/ml), derived either from Escherichia coli or from Salmonella enteritidis, reversibly abolished Ca2+ oscillations and decreased basal [Ca 2+]i by 30-40 nM. HL-1 cells expressed Toll-like receptors, i.e., TLR-2 and TLR-4. Thus, we differentiated effects of LPS on [Ca2+]i and Ca2+ oscillations by addition of utlrapure LPS, a TLR-4 ligand. Ultrapure LPS had no effect on basal [Ca 2+]i, but it reduced the rate of Ca2+ oscillations. Interestingly, Pam3CSK4, a TLR-2 ligand, affected neither Ca 2+ parameter, and the effect of ultrapure LPS and Pam3CSK4 combined was similar to that of utlrapure LPS alone. Thus, unpurified LPS directly inhibits HL-1 calcium metabolism via TLR-4 and non-TLR-4-dependent mechanisms. Since others have shown that endotoxin impairs the hyperpolarization-activated, nonselective cationic pacemaker current (If), which is expressed in HL-1 cells, we utilized whole cell voltage-clamp techniques to demonstrate that LPS (1 μg/ml) reduced If in HL-1 cells. This inhibition was marginal at physiologic membrane potentials and significant at very negative potentials (P < 0.05 at -140, -150, and -160 mV). So, we also evaluated effects of LPS on tail currents of fully activated If. LPS reduced the slope conductance of the tail currents from 498 ± 140 pS/pF to 223 ± 65 pS/pF (P < 0.05) without affecting reversal potential of -11 mV. Ultrapure LPS had similar effect on If, whereas Pam3CSK4 had no effect on If. We conclude that LPS inhibits activation of I f, enhances its deactivation, and impairs regulation of [Ca 2+]i in HL-1 cardiomyocytes via TLR-4 and other mechanisms.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K/Akt) dependent signaling pathway plays an important role in cardiac function, specifically cardiac contractility. We have reported that sepsis decreases myocardial Akt activation, which correlates with cardiac dysfunction in sepsis. We also reported that preventing sepsis induced changes in myocardial Akt activation ameliorates cardiovascular dysfunction. In this study we investigated the role of PI3K/Akt on cardiomyocyte function by examining the role of PI3K/Akt-dependent signaling on [Ca 2+]i, Ca2+ transients and membrane Ca2+ current, ICa, in cultured murine HL-1 cardiomyocytes. LY294002 (120 μM), a specific PI3K inhibitor, dramatically decreased HL-1 [Ca 2+]i, Ca2+ transients and ICa. We also examined the effect of PI3K isoform specific inhibitors, i.e. α (PI3-kinase α inhibitor 2; 28 nM); ? (TGX-221; 100 nM) and γ (AS-252424; 100 nM), to determine the contribution of specific isoforms to HL-1 [Ca 2+]i regulation. Pharmacologic inhibition of each of the individual PI3K isoforms significantly decreased [Ca2+]i, and inhibited Ca 2+ transients. Triciribine (120 μM), which inhibits AKT downstream of the PI3K pathway, also inhibited [Ca2+]i, and Ca 2+ transients and ICa. We conclude that the PI3K/Akt pathway is required for normal maintenance of [Ca2+]i in HL-1 cardiomyocytes. Thus, myocardial PI3K/Akt-PKB signaling sustains [Ca 2+]i required for excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyoctyes.