INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM POOLS IN NEUROBLASTOMA X GLIOMA HYBRID NG108-15 CELLS

Abstract: The intracellular nonmitochondrial calcium pools of saponin‐permeabilized NG108–15 cells were characterized using inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (IP3) and GTP. IP3 or GTP alone induced release of 47 and 68%, respectively, of the calcium that was releasable by A23187. GTP induced release of a further 24% of the calcium after IP3 treatment, whereas IP3 induced release of a further 11 % of the calcium after GTP treatment. Guanosine 5′‐O‐(3‐thio)triphosphate had little effect on IP3‐induced calcium release but completely inhibited GTP‐induced calcium release. In contrast, heparin inhibited the action of IP3 but not that of GTP. The results imply the existence of at least three nonmitochondrial pools: (a) 31% is releasable by IP3 and GTP, (b) 11% is releasable by IP3 alone, and (c) 24% is releasable by GTP alone. GTP enhanced calcium uptake in the presence of oxalate with an EC50 of 0.6 μM and stimulated calcium release in the absence of oxalate with an EC50 of 0.32 μM. The similar EC50 values for these dual effects of GTP on calcium movement suggest that GTP exerts its dual action by the same mechanism. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved