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PubMed1999

Activation of the granule pool of the NADPH oxidase accelerates apoptosis in human neutrophils.

Oxidative stress induces apoptosis in many types of cells, including human neutrophils. Our objective was to determine whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by activated neutrophils are associated with accelerated apoptosis. Exposing neutrophils to ionomycin or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induced intracellular H2O2 production and rapid onset of apoptosis, measured as condensed chromatin, cellular shrinkage, and DNA fragmentation. Neutrophils activated with formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) generated mainly extracellular H2O2 and did not undergo apoptosis. Exogenously added H2O2, together with the catalase blocker sodium azide, induced apoptosis to the same extent and with similar kinetics as PMA and ionomycin. Adenosine inhibited ionomycin-induced intracellular H2O2 production and apoptosis. Neither PMA nor ionomycin caused apoptosis in dimethyl sulfoxide-differentiated HL-60 cells, which are incapable of intracellular H2O2 production, whereas H2O2 induced apoptosis more efficiently in these cells than in neutrophils. We propose that activated neutrophils use intracellularly formed H2O2 to commit suicide.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1993

Continuous monitoring of nitric oxide release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Direct measurement of nitric oxide (NO) release is pivotal for understanding its role in the regulation of vascular tone. However, data on the direct measurement of NO have been scarce. Recent description of NO-selective electrode has prompted us to examine NO release from endothelial cells using this approach. In the present study, we continuously monitored [NO] in the incubation medium conditioned by cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with an amperometric NO-sensor. The HUVEC released NO on stimulation with several agonists such as alpha-thrombin, bradykinin, L-arginine and ionomycin; the responses were characterized by an initial rise and a subsequent sustained increase. Activation of Ca/calmodulin system resulted in a robust elevation in [NO], occasionally displaying an oscillatory component. Calmidazolium pretreatment attenuated the ionomycin-induced response. Pretreatment with phorbol ester suppressed the ionomycin-induced NO release from HUVEC. Forskolin pretreatment did not modify NO release elicited by ionomycin. These findings indicate that the synthesis/release of NO in endothelial cells is a Ca/calmodulin dependent step. Activation of protein kinase C interferes with the Ca/calmodulin-induced activation of NOS in endothelial cells. Thus, the present study shows that NO synthase is a substrate for phosphorylation by different kinases which modulate the activity of the enzyme as determined by continuous monitoring of NO release from endothelial cells using a specific NO-sensor.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1996

A role of peroxides in Ca2+ ionophore-induced apoptosis in cultured rat cortical neurons.

The implication of reactive oxygen species for the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin-induced apoptosis was investigated in cultured cortical neurons from embryonic rats. Ionomycin increased the production of intracellular peroxides as measured by flow cytometric analysis with 6-carboxy-2'7'-dichorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, di(acetoxymethyl ester). Low doses of ionomycin increased the level of manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD). In addition, N-acetyl-L-cysteine prevented apoptotic neuronal death induced by ionomycin in a dose-dependent manner. Buthionine sulfoximine suppressed the effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine. These results suggest that peroxides and redox-regulation play an important role in the apoptosis of neurons induced by elevation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1996

Cyclosporin A enhances the calcium-dependent induction of AP-1 complex and c-fos mRNA in a T cell lymphoma.

The immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) exerts its pharmacologic actions by inhibiting calcineurin function. Here, we investigated the effect of CsA on the DNA-binding activity of the transcription factor, AP-1, in YAC-1 cells. We found that elevation of intracellular Ca2+ by ionomycin increased AP-1 DNA-binding activity in these cells. CsA treatment upregulated the ionomycin-induced, but not the basal AP-1 DNA-binding activity. In contrast, a CsA analog, MeVal4CsA, that does not inhibit calcineurin, failed to enhance ionomycin-induced AP-1 DNA-binding activity. This activity was shown to involve c-Fos, c-Jun and JunB. CsA consistently augmented ionomycin-induced c-fos mRNA expression and more variably that of JunB. Therefore, calcineurin negatively regulates Ca(2+)-stimulated AP-1 activity principally at the c-fos induction level. By inhibiting calcineurin, CsA shifts the balance between positive and negative AP-1 regulation. Since AP-1 controls the transcription of many genes, this finding may have implications for both the immunosuppressive and toxic effects of CsA.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Cyclosporin A-sensitive calcium signaling represses NFkappaB activation in human bronchial epithelial cells and enhances NFkappaB activation in Jurkat T-cells.

Activation of the NFkappaB transcription factor in 16HBE human bronchial epithelial cells was compared with activation of NFkappaB in Jurkat T-cells. An NFkappaB-luciferase reporter gene was activated by phorbol myristyl acetate (PMA) in both cell types. Ionomycin added to PMA (P/I) inhibited NFkappaB activation in epithelial cells and enhanced PMA activation in T-cells. Cyclosporin A (CsA) inhibited calcium signaling in both cell types. Nuclear NFkappaB DNA-binding stimulated with PMA was inhibited with ionomycin in epithelial cells and was enhanced with ionomycin in T-cells; CsA reversed both effects of ionomycin. Cytosolic IkappaB-alpha was regulated identically in both cell types. Thus, calcium activated opposing nuclear signaling pathways in epithelial cells and T-cells. Calcium-mediated repression of NFkappaB in epithelial cells was derepressed by CsA, and this establishes a mechanism through which CsA may exert proinflammatory effects in nonlymphoid cells.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

The generation of 1H-NMR-detectable mobile lipid in stimulated lymphocytes: relationship to cellular activation, the cell cycle, and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C.

Mobile lipids detected using 1H-NMR in stimulated lymphocytes were correlated with cell cycle phase, expression of the interleukin-2 receptor alpha and proliferation to assess the activation status of the lymphocytes. Mobile lipid levels, IL-2R alpha expression and proliferation increased after treatment with PMA and ionomycin. PMA or ionomycin stimulation alone induced increased IL-2R alpha expression but not proliferation. PMA- but not ionomycin-stimulation generated mobile lipid. Treatment with anti-CD3 antibody did not increase IL-2R alpha expression or proliferation but did generate increased amounts of mobile lipid. The cell cycle status of thymocytes treated with anti-CD3, PMA or ionomycin alone indicated an accumulation of the cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The generation of mobile lipid was abrogated in anti-CD3 antibody-stimulated thymic lymphocytes but not in splenic lymphocytes, using a phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) inhibitor which blocked cells in the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. This suggests that the 1H-NMR-detectable mobile lipid may be generated in anti-CD3 antibody-stimulated thymic lymphocytes by the action of PC-PLC activity via the catabolism of PC, in the absence of classical signs of activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Anti-IgM and anti-IgG modulate c-fos RNA levels differently in human B lymphocytes.

One component of the B cell activation cascade is the induction of the protooncogene c-fos. Data presented here demonstrate that stimulation of mIgM-bearing cells with either anti-IgM or the combination of PDB plus ionomycin generated comparable levels of c-fos RNA. Furthermore, a synergistic response was observed when the cells were treated with selected concentrations of anti-IgM plus either PDB or ionomycin. In contrast, stimulation of mIgG-bearing B cells with anti-IgG did not induce the c-fos RNA levels that were seen when these cells were treated with the combination of PDB plus ionomycin. Treatment of mIgG-bearing cells with only the combination of anti-IgG plus ionomycin yielded a synergistic response and anti-IgG plus PDB did not. Thus, induction of c-fos RNA appears to be different in mIgM- and mIgG-bearing B cells after stimulation through mIg.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗
PubMed1995

Expression of the pim-1 protooncogene: differential inducibility between alpha/beta- and gamma/delta-T cells and B cells.

The pim-1 gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase with expression restricted primarily to cells of hematopoietic lineage and is thought to play a role in the signal transduction events associated with lymphocyte activation. A rapid increase in pim-1 mRNA levels was found after stimulation of normal unseparated PBMCs with phorbol ester (PMA) and a calcium ionophore (ionomycin) with the peak level occurring 4 hr poststimulation. Treatment of PBMCs with ionomycin alone caused only a minimal increase in pim-1 mRNA, whereas treatment with PMA alone induced a large increase in pim-1 mRNA, suggesting that the activation of a signaling pathway involving protein kinase C is responsible for the accumulation of this transcript. In enriched subpopulations of resting alpha/beta-T cells, gamma/delta-T cells, and B cells, pim-1 expression was found to be constitutively expressed, albeit at lower levels in T cells. This basal level of pim-1 expression could be increased by stimulation of alpha/beta-T cells (approx fivefold) and gamma/delta-T cells (approximately sevenfold) with PMA plus ionomycin. In contrast, pim-1 expression was not inducible in B cells. In PBMCs, half-life determination studies showed that turnover of pim-1 mRNA was markedly prolonged as a result of message stabilization induced by PMA plus ionomycin treatment. In addition, stable pim-1 transcripts were also observed in all transformed lymphoid cell lines examined. Taken together, these results suggest that the stability of pim-1 transcripts may be linked to the regulation of cell growth and represent the first direct demonstration that pim-1 expression is indeed regulated in a cell-type-specific manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of protein kinases after an induced calcium transient causes transition of bovine oocytes to embryonic cycles without meiotic completion.

We have examined the response of bovine oocytes matured in vitro for 24 hr to parthenogenic activation using compounds that increase intracellular calcium (ionomycin) or inhibit protein phosphorylation (6-dimethylaminopurine, DMAP). Treatment with ionomycin alone caused resumption of meiosis (57.8 +/- 7.8%) but not pronuclear formation (8.9 +/- 7.3%). DMAP alone did not cause resumption of meiosis or pronuclear formation. Sequential treatment with ionomycin (5 microM for 4 min) immediately followed by DMAP (1.9 mM for 5 hr) resulted in activation that led to pronuclear formation (80.5 +/- 13.1%). Completion of meiosis, however, was bypassed as evidenced by only one polar body and one pronucleus present in activated parthenogenones. It was necessary to incubate the oocytes for at least 3 hr in DMAP to obtain high rates of activation (76.6 +/- 9.8%) and development to blastocysts (21.1 +/- 1.5%). Temporal separation of the two treatments resulted in a decrease in oocytes with one pronucleus and one polar body (uniformly diploid parthenogenones) and an increase in a mixture of diploid and haploid parthenogenones since DMAP was capable of causing transition to interphase of all chromatin configurations after anaphase commenced and prior to metaphase arrest. Parthenotes produced with ionomycin and DMAP that developed to the blastocyst stage had high cell numbers (70 to 88 cells) and were able to cause extended cycles in 33.3% of recipient cattle after nonsurgical transfer to the uterus. Response of the bovine oocyte arrested in metaphase II to different activation stimuli was also found to show age-dependent changes in pattern of activation response and developmental competence.

Adenine↗
PubMed2001

The neuronal calcium sensor protein VILIP-1 is associated with amyloid plaques and extracellular tangles in Alzheimer's disease and promotes cell death and tau phosphorylation in vitro: a link between calcium sensors and Alzheimer's disease?

To investigate whether the observed association of intracellular neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) proteins with amyloid plaques and neurofibrillar tangles in Alzheimer brains is linked to a possible neuroprotective or neurotoxic activity of the protein, we performed cytotoxicity tests in PC12 cells transfected with the calcium sensor protein VILIP-1 (visinin-like protein) and the calcium buffer protein calbindin-D28K. Whereas VILIP-1 expression enhanced the neurotoxic effect of ionomycin already at low ionophore concentrations, calbindin-D28K protected against ionomycin-induced cytotoxicity only at high ionomycin and therefore calcium concentrations. However, in double-transfected cells calbindin-D28K rescued VILIP-1-mediated cytotoxicity at low ionomycin concentrations. Since VILIP-1 was found to be associated with fibrillar tangles in Alzheimer brains, we tested whether VILIP-1 has an influence on tau hyperphosphorylation. VILIP-1 expression enhanced hyperphosphorylation of tau protein compared to nontransfected or calbindin-D28K-transfected cells. These results raise the possibility that the observed reduction in VILIP-1-expressing cells may indicate a selective vulnerability of these neurons and that the calcium sensor protein is involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. The calcium sensor protein may influence tau phosphorylation and have a role in calcium-mediated neurotoxicity opposed to the previously discovered protective effect of calcium buffer proteins.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1994

Sodium cyanide increases cytosolic free calcium: evidence for activation of the reversed mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and Ca2+ mobilization from inositol trisphosphate-insensitive pools.

This study characterized the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in NaCN-treated human A-431 cells. The resting [Ca2+]i was 85 +/- 8 nM (n = 141) in untreated cells at 37 degrees C, determined with the fura-2 fluorescence probe. When cells were treated with NaCN, [Ca2+]i increased in a time- and NaCN concentration-dependent manner. When cells were exposed to 10 mM NaCN for 10 min, [Ca2+]i increased 278 +/- 28% (n = 5) but returned to normal within 45 min after treatment. The [Ca2+]i increase depended on the presence of external Ca2+. La3+ and Cd2+, but not verapamil or nifedipine, inhibited the NaCN-induced [Ca2+]i increase. The NaCN-induced [Ca2+]i increase also depended on external Na+ (K1/2 = 85 mM). The intracellular Na+ concentration, measured with the fluorescence probe SBFI, increased 267 +/- 16% after NaCN treatment. The NaCN-induced [Ca2+]i increase was modulated by treatment with ouabain or veratridine and was completely blocked by tetrodotoxin, amiloride (K1/2 = 5.4 microM), and dichlorobenzamil (K1/2 = 0.28 microM). These results suggest NaCN activates the Na+/Ca2+ exchange system. TMB-8 and ryanodine both partially blocked the increase in [Ca2+]i in the presence of external Ca2+, indicating that Ca2+ release from intracellular pools also occurred after the initial Ca2+ influx. NaCN decreased inositol trisphosphates production. U-73122, bradykinin, or monensin did not prevent the NaCN-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. However, the magnitude of the [Ca2+]i increase caused by NaCN was abolished in ionomycin-treated the [Ca2+]i increase caused by NaCN was abolished in ionomycin-treated cells, indicating that intracellular Ca2+ release induced by NaCN is derived from an ionomycin-sensitive Ca2+ pool. The results suggest that NaCN initially increased Na+ influx, which activated the reverse mode of a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, leading to an increase in Ca2+ influx. The Ca2+ influx induced a Ca2+ mobilization from only an ionomycin-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ pool containing ryanodine receptors.

Amiloride↗
PubMed1990

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents inhibit upregulation of CD11b, CD11c, and CD35 in neutrophils stimulated by formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit PMN aggregation, chemotaxis, degranulation, and superoxide anion production stimulated by synthetic formyl peptides. Many of these functions are dependent upon receptors for the complement components C3b and iC3b (CD35 and CD11b, respectively), or the adherence molecules CD11b and CD11c. Using flow cytometry and specific monoclonal antibodies, we studied the effects of the NSAID piroxicam and indomethacin on the upregulation of these cell surface proteins on PMNs stimulated with FMLP, C5a, or ionomycin. Incubation of PMNs at 37 degrees C increased the expression of all three of these surface proteins. A further increase was induced by stimulation with FMLP, C5a, or ionomycin. Both piroxicam and indomethacin inhibited FMLP-induced upregulation of CD11b, CD11c, and CD35, but neither drug affected the upregulation of these surface molecules induced by C5a or ionomycin. Furthermore, piroxicam had no effect on 37 degrees C-induced upregulation of any of the surface proteins, while indomethacin showed no effect on 37 degrees C-induced CD11b upregulation but suppressed CD11c and CD35 upregulation. Inhibition of surface protein upregulation by FMLP was not due to inhibition of FMLP binding to PMNs. We conclude that piroxicam and indomethacin inhibit FMLP receptor-mediated upregulation of CD11b, CD11c, and CD35 in PMNs, but have no effect on the upregulation of these molecules by ionomycin or C5a. These data suggest that piroxicam and indomethacin interfere with postreceptor signaling events specific to PMN stimulation by FMLP.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Guinea pig Kurloff (NK-like) cells mediate TNF-dependent cytotoxic activity: analogy with NC effector cells.

Kurloff cells are mononuclear cells possessing a large cytoplasmic inclusion body specific to the guinea pig. In this report, we present strong evidence that Kurloff cells can mediate NC activity against tumor cells in addition to their previously reported NK activity. Using an 18 h 51Cr-release assay we have shown that Kurloff cells were highly effective in killing the TNF-sensitive WEHI 164 target cell line. Lower but significant cytotoxic activity was also observed after only 4 h. However, our results suggest a different mechanism of lysis in the 4 h and 18 h assay. Lysis of WEHI 164 target cells by Kurloff cells in the 4 h assay could be strongly increased in the presence of TPA alone or in combination with ionomycin whereas ionomycin alone was uneffective. In contrast, stimulation of Kurloff cells for 18 h with ionomycin alone or in combination with TPA could induce the release of TNF-like factor(s) as observed by the TNF bioassay using L-929 TNF-sensitive target cells. Release of TNF-like factor(s) could also be induced by stimulation with WEHI 164 target cells. Supernatants of Kurloff cells stimulated for 18 h with TPA + ionomycin were also highly cytotoxic against WEHI 164 target cells, but not against the TNF-resistant P815 target cell line. Pretreatment of these supernatants with antimurine TNF alpha antibodies could almost completely inhibit their cytotoxic activity against WEHI 164 target cells. In contrast, supernatants of Kurloff cells stimulated for only 4 h did not show any TNF-like activity against the L-929 target cell line and were not cytotoxic against WEHI 164 target cells even after 18 h. Taken together, these results suggest that Kurloff cells can mediate NC activity against tumor cells in addition to their previously reported NK activity. By using multiple lytic pathways, these cells may play a crucial role in anti-tumor surveillance and defenses.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Swelling and Ca2+-activated anion conductances in C127 epithelial cells expressing WT and delta F508-CFTR.

CFTR is a chloride channel that is required for fluid secretion and salt absorption in many exocrine epithelia. Mutations in CFTR cause cystic fibrosis. CFTR expression influences some ion channels, but the range of channels influenced, the mechanism of the interaction and the significance for cystic fibrosis are not known. Possible interactions between CFTR and other ion channels were studied in C127 mouse mammary epithelial cell lines stably transfected with CFTR, delta F508-CFTR, or vector. Cell lines were compared quantitatively using an 125I efflux assay and qualitatively using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. As expected, 125I efflux was significantly increased by forskolin only in the CFTR line, and forskolin-stimulated whole-cell currents were time- and voltage independent. All three lines responded to hypotonic challenge with large 125I efflux responses of equivalent magnitude, and whole-cell currents were outwardly rectified and inactivated at positive voltages. Unexpectedly, basal 125I efflux was significantly smaller in the delta F508-CFTR cell line than in either the CFTR or control cell lines (P < 0.0001), and the magnitude of the efflux response to ionomycin was largest in the vector cell line and smallest in the cell line expressing delta F508-CFTR (P < 0.01). Whole-cell responses to ionomycin had a linear instantaneous I-V relation and activated at depolarizing voltages. Forskolin responses showed simple summation with responses to ionomycin or hypotonic challenge. Thus, we found no evidence for interactions between CFTR and the channels responsible for swelling-mediated responses. Differences were found in basal and ionomycin-stimulated efflux, but these may arise from variations in the clonally selected cell lines that are unrelated to CFTR expression.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator attenuates the endogenous Ca2+ activated Cl- conductance of Xenopus oocytes.

Oocytes from Xenopus laevis activate a Ca2+ dependent Cl- conductance when exposed to the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin. This Ca2+ activated Cl- conductance (CaCC) is strongly outwardly rectifying and has a halide conductivity ratio (GI- / GCl-) of about 4.4. This is in contrast to the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-Cl- conductance, which produces more linear I/V curves with a GI- / GCl- ratio of about 0.52. Ionomycin enhanced CaCC (DeltaG) in water injected and CFTR expressing ooyctes in the absence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 1 mmol/l) by (microS) 23 +/- 1.9 (n=9) and 23.6 +/- 2.3 (n=11). Stimulation by IBMX did not change CaCC in water injected oocytes. CaCC was inhibited in CFTR-expressing ooyctes after stimulation with IBMX or a membrane permeable form of cAMP and was only 5.1 +/- 0.48 microS (n=18) and 6. 9 +/- 0.6 (n=3), respectively. Inhibition of CaCC was correlated to the amount of CFTR-current activated by IBMX. DeltaF508-CFTR which demonstrates only a small residual function in activating a cAMP dependent Cl- channel in oocytes inhibited CaCC to a lesser degree (DeltaG=12.1 +/- 1.1 microS; n=7). Changes of CFTR and CaCC-Cl- whole cell conductances were also measured when extracellular Cl- was replaced by I-. The results confirmed the reduced activation of CaCC in the presence of activated CFTR. No evidence was found for inhibition of CFTR-currents by increase of intracellular Ca2+. Moreover, intracellular cAMP was not changed by ionomycin and stimulation by IBMX did not change the ionomycin induced Ca2+ increase in Xenopus oocytes. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of CFTR-Cl- currents is paralleled by an inhibition of Ca2+ activated Cl- currents in ooyctes of Xenopus laevis. These results provide another example for CFTR-dependent regulation of membrane conductances other than cAMP-dependent Cl- conductance. They might explain previous findings in epithelial tissues of CF-knockout mice.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed2003

Effect of Ca2+-dependent cell death on the release of herpes simplex virus.

The effect of a variety of cell death-inducing reagents on the release of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was examined. Ionomycin was found to increase the release of HSV-1, whereas no significant increase was observed by the treatment with TNF-alpha, anti-Fas antibody, C2-ceramide, sphingosine, H-7, tyrphostin and camptothecin. Ionomycin induced an immediate early peak and a subsequent long-lasting elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). In the absence of extracellular Ca(2+), ionomycin neither elevated [Ca(2+)]i nor increased the release of HSV-1 from the infected cells, indicating that Ca(2+) influx play an important role in the release of HSV-1. Studies with trypan blue and annexin V staining revealed that the ionomycin-induced alteration of [Ca(2+)]i was accompanied by cell death of the infected cells. Disintegration of cell membrane, cytoplasmic vacuole formation and the leakage of virus particles from the cell surface were observed by electron microscopy. These results indicate that Ca(2+)-dependent cell death showing necrotic alteration is responsible for the enhanced release of HSV-1. The data also give some initial insights into the functional importance of cell death during the late stages of HSV-1 infection.

Calcium↗
PubMed1997

Ratiometric measurement of intracellular pH of cultured cells with BCECF in a fluorescence multi-well plate reader.

A number of methods have been developed to measure intracellular pH (pHi) because of its importance in intracellular events. A major advance in accurate pHi measurement was the development of the ratiometric fluorescent indicator dye, 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). We have used a fluorescence multi-well plate reader and a ratiometric method for determining pHi in primary cultures of rabbit corneal epithelial (CE) cells with BCECF. Fluorescence was measured at excitation wavelengths of 485 +/- 11 nm and 395 +/- 12.5 nm, with emission detected at 530 +/- 15 nm. Cells grown in multi-well plates were loaded with 4 microM BCECF for 30 min at 37 degrees C. Resting pHi was 7.34 +/- 0.03 (2 cultures, N = 5 wells). Changes in pHi determined with the fluorescence multi-well plate reader after the addition and removal of NH4Cl or sodium lactate were comparable to changes in cells analyzed with a digitized fluorescence imaging system. A concentration-response relationship involving changes in pHi was easily demonstrated in CE cells after treatment with ionomycin, a calcium ionopore. Low doses of ionomycin (2.5-5 microM), produced a prolonged acidification; 7.5 microM ionomycin produced a transient acidification; and 10 microM ionomycin resulted in a slight alkalinization. We conclude that accurate pHi measurements can be obtained with a ratiometric method with BCECF in a multi-well plate reader. This technology may simplify screening studies evaluating effects of hormones, growth factors, or toxicants on pHi homeostasis.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed1987

Further observations on the effect of calcium ionophores on ascites tumor cells.

The effect of the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin on neoplastic thymocytes in comparison to its effect on normal thymus cells was studied. Ionomycin increases intracellular Ca2+ in normal lymphocytes but fails to increase Ca2+ in neoplastic thymocytes. In these cells the ionophore causes a transient increase in cytosolic free Ca2+. The lack of effect of ionomycin reproduces that of A23187, but it does not depend on reduced availability of intracellular Mg2+ to exchange with Ca2+; it appears to depend on the strong activity of the plasma membrane Ca2+-extruding pump that counteracts ionomycin permeabilization and that can be partly inhibited by the calmodulin inhibitor R24571 (calmidazolium). Neoplastic thymocytes show a high content of magnesium, the intracellular binding of which is efficiently regulated by endogenous ATP. The data show also an interesting correlation between the regulation of energy metabolism (aerobic glycolysis) and cation homeostasis in the neoplastic cells studied.

Animals↗