Potassium and calcium currents and action potentials in mouse Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts

Synchronized Ca2+ signaling by intercellular propagation of Ca2+ action potentials in NRK fibroblasts

The intercellular propagation of Ca2+ waves by diffusion of inositol trisphosphate has been shown to be a general mechanism by which nonexcitable cells communicate. Here, we show that monolayers of normal rat kidney (NRK) fibroblasts behave like a typical excitable tissue. In confluent monolayers of these cells, Ca2+ action potentials can be generated by local depolarization of the monolayer on treatment with either bradykinin or an elevation of the extracellular K+ concentration. These electronically propagating action potentials travel intercellularly over long distances in an all-or-none fashion at a speed of approximately 6.1 mm/s and can be blocked by L-type Ca2+ channel blockers. The action potentials are generated by depolarizations beyond the threshold value for L-type Ca2+ channels of about -15 mV. The result of these locally induced, propagating Ca2+ action potentials is an almost synchronous, transient increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in large numbers of cells. These data show that electrically coupled fibroblasts can form an excitable syncytium, and they elucidate a novel mechanism of intercellular Ca2+ signaling in these cells that may coordinate synchronized multicellular responses to local stimuli.

Synchronized calcium spiking resulting from spontaneous calcium action potentials in monolayers of NRK fibroblasts

The correlation between the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and membrane potential in monolayers of density-arrested normal rat kidney (NRK) fibroblasts was investigated. Using the fluorescent probe Fura-2, spontaneous repetitive spike-like increases in [Ca2+]i (Ca2+ spikes) were observed that were synchronised throughout the entire monolayer. Ca2+ spikes disappeared in Ca(2+)-free solutions and could be blocked by the L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist felodipine. Simultaneous measurements of [Ca2+]i and membrane potential showed that these Ca2+ spikes were paralleled by depolarisations of the plasma membrane. Using patch clamp measurements, action potential-like depolarisations consisting of a fast spike depolarisation followed by a plateau phase were seen with similar kinetics as the Ca2+ spikes. The action potentials could be blocked by L-type Ca2+ channel blockers and were dependent on extracellular Ca2+. The plateau phase was predominantly determined by a Cl- conductance and was dependent on intracellular Ca2+. The presence of voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels in NRK cells was confirmed by patch clamp measurements in single cells. It is concluded that monolayers of density-arrested NRK fibroblasts exhibit spontaneous Ca2+ action potentials leading to synchronised Ca2+ spiking. This excitability of monolayers of fibroblasts may represent a novel Ca2+ signaling pathway in electrically coupled fibroblasts, cells that were hitherto considered to be inexcitable.

Role of mitogen-induced calcium influx in the control of the cell cycle in Balb-c 3T3 fibroblasts

The role of mitogen-activated calcium influx from the extracellular medium in the control of cell proliferation was studied in Balb-c 3T3 fibroblasts. Stimulation of serum-deprived, quiescent cells with 10% foetal calf serum (FCS) induced a long-lasting (up to 70 min) elevation of intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Both the sustained [Ca2+]i increase and the related inward current, described in a previous paper [Lovisolo D. Munaron L. Baccino FM. Bonelli G. (1992) Potassium and calcium currents activated by foetal calf serum in Balb-c 3T3 fibroblasts. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1104, 73-82], could be abolished either by chelation of extracellular calcium with EGTA or by SK&F 96365, an imidazole derivative that can block receptor-activated calcium channels. The effect of the abolition of these ionic signals on FCS-induced proliferation was investigated by adding either EGTA or SK&F 96365 to the culture medium during the first hours of stimulation of quiescent cells with 10% FCS. As measured after 24 h, a 22% inhibition of growth was observed when SK&F 96365 was added for the first hour, and stronger inhibitions, up to 56%, were obtained by adding the blocker for the first 2 or 4 h. Similar effects were observed with addition of 3 mM EGTA, though the inhibition was less marked for the 4 h treatment. By contrast, incubation with either substance in the next 4 h of serum stimulation did not influence cell growth, except for a slight inhibition observed when SK&F 96365 was applied from the 4th to the 8th hour. The reduction in growth resulting from the abolition of the early calcium influx was paralleled by an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase. Both growth inhibition and G2/M accumulation were reversible, since after further 24 h in 10% FCS cells had fully recovered the exponential growth. These data indicate that the early calcium influx seen in response to mitogen stimulation develops on a timescale long enough to play a significant role in cell cycle progression, and that its block in the early G1 phase can lead to a reduction of proliferation by arresting cells in later stages of the cycle.

Sustained calcium influx activated by basic fibroblast growth factor in Balb-c 3T3 fibroblasts

1. We have investigated the ionic events elicited in Balb-c 3T3 fibroblasts by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a peptide that binds to membrane receptors with tyrosine kinase activity and has a mitogenic action on many cell types. The peptide (0.2-100 ng ml-1) caused the appearance of an inward current, as observed in whole-cell patch-clamp experiments at a holding potential of -50 mV, that could last for tens of minutes and had a peak density of 4.6 +/- 2.6 pA pF-1. The reversal potential was 18.8 +/- 16.7 mV. 2. The current was reversibly abolished by removal of bFGF from the external bath. Inhibition of low-affinity FGF receptors had no effect on the activation of the inward current; it was completely abolished when cells were pre-incubated with tyrphostin or 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA), two inhibitors of the tyrosine kinase activity of the high-affinity FGF receptors. The inward current was not activated by the emptying of internal calcium stores, as tested with 200 nM thapsigargin. 3. Values of peak current density comparable to control ones were obtained when either all Na+ ions or all Ca2+ ions were removed from the external solution; when both ions were completely removed, no inward current could be observed. The inward current was not affected by 2 microM nifedipine, and was reversibly blocked by the imidazole derivative SK&F 96365-A. 4. Measurements of free intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) with the dye fura-2 showed that bFGF elicited sustained increases in [Ca2+]i that were completely dependent on external calcium and on the presence of the agonist and could last more than 1 h. 5. Single channel currents (conductance 7.9 pS) in response to bFGF stimulation could be recorded in the cell-attached configuration with 100 mM CaCl2 in the pipette. When the resting potential was brought near to 0 mV by external perfusion in a high-K+ solution, Vrev was about 0 mV. 6. We conclude that in Balb-c 3T3 cells bFGF induces an inward current that is carried at least partially by Ca2+ ions; this current in turn causes a long-lasting increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The amplitude and time course of these bFGF-activated ionic events are compatible with their involvement in the control of cell proliferation.

Ion selectivity of Ba2+ inward current oscillations in ras-transformed fibroblasts that elicit cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations by bradykinin

Ion selectivity of divalent cations on Ba2+ inward current oscillations was examined by voltage-clamp recording in v-Ki-ras-transformed NIH/3T3 (DT) fibroblasts where repetitive transient increases in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration were evoked by bradykinin. Application of bradykinin onto DT cells in 50 mM Ba2+ solution initiated Ba2+ inward current oscillations. The inward currents were inhibited in equimolar Sr2+ or Ca2+ solutions. Ba2+ current oscillations were dependent upon extracellular Ba2+ concentration. The results suggest that inward current oscillations are highly selective to Ba2+.

Two currents activated by epidermal growth factor in EGFR-T17 fibroblasts

Application of 10 nM Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) to single EGFR-T17 fibroblasts induced a marked hyperpolarization that could last for tens of minutes; in many cases the first transient was followed by a series of oscillations of the membrane potential. The outward current responsible for the hyperpolarizing response could be recorded simultaneously to an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration, as measured with the fluorescent indicator fura-2. The conductance was nearly linear in the voltage range from -100 to +50 mV. While the EGF-induced current had many characteristics of a K+ current and was strongly reduced by 50 nM charybdotoxin (ChTx), its reversal potential was apparently more negative than the potassium equilibrium potential (VK). The application of 2 microM ouabain prior to EGF stimulation produced responses that were similar to those obtained without ouabain; however, under these conditions the EGF-induced current showed a reversal potential of -96.6 +/- 3.2 mV, very close to VK. Simultaneous application of both 2 microM ouabain and 50 nM ChTx completely abolished the response. It can be concluded that the response to EGF stimulation in EGFR-T17 cells consists of two components: the first is a current carried through Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels; the second is due to the acceleration of the operation of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase.

Electrophysiological and immunohistochemical analysis of muscle differentiation in a mouse mesodermal stem cell line

1. A mesodermal stem cell line C3H10T1/2 was induced to differentiate to muscle by adding 0.3 microM-5-aza-2'-deoxy-cytidine to the medium for 24 h. The changes in membrane currents during differentiation were studied by whole-cell recording and changes in the expression of fibronectin, Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM), myosin and desmin were studied immunohistochemically. 2. The stem cells showed the morphology of fibroblastic cells. Most of the stem cells showed ATP-induced slow K+ current. T-type Ca2+ current and inward rectifier K+ current were observed in 19% of the stem cells. The stem cells expressed fibronectin, but not NCAM, myosin or desmin. 3. About 2 weeks after the addition of 5-aza-2'-deoxy-cytidine, large multinucleated skeletal muscle-like cells appeared. Most of the induced muscles showed L-type Ca2+ current, responses to acetylcholine, outward K+ current, inward rectifier K+ current and contraction upon depolarizing stimulation. They expressed NCAM, myosin and desmin, but not fibronectin, and showed no ATP response. 4. In some batches (2/14), the induced muscles showed spontaneous twitches, and possessed tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive Na+ current in addition to the currents described above. Furthermore clear striation was observed in some of the twitching muscles under Nomarski optics. 5. To ascertain the properties of cells at the initial step of muscle differentiation, whose differentiation is determined but not yet evident morphologically or electrophysiologically, subcloning was performed from the heterogeneous cells 10 days after induction. Three myogenic clones were obtained, which proliferated at low cell densities but differentiated to muscle with a high incidence at high cell densities, as well as ten non-myogenic clones. 6. Most myogenic clones still showed ATP-induced K+ current and fibronectin. In addition, most of them showed T-type Ca2+ current and inward rectifier K+ current. They had already expressed NCAM. No other properties observed in muscles had yet been expressed. Most cells of the non-myogenic clones showed ATP-induced K+ current and fibronectin. T-type Ca2+ current was also expressed, but not inward rectifier K+ current or NCAM. 7. The properties of the observed ionic currents were studied. The TTX-sensitive Na+ current could be completely blocked by 0.1 microM-TTX. It could be evoked by depolarizing steps to a level above -40 mV, while steady-state inactivation was detectable around -75 mV and reached half by -52 mV. T-type Ca2+ current could be evoked by a depolarizing pulse to a level above -45 mV, with a maximum amplitude around -15 mV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A Ca2(+)-activated K+ current in ras-transformed fibroblasts is absent from nontransformed cells

Biochemical similarities between ras proteins and the GTP-binding proteins and correlation of ras-induced cell transformation with altered transmembrane cation fluxes indicate that ras proteins may act to modulate ion channel activity. To test this idea, whole cell, tight-seal, patch-clamp recording was used to compare macroscopic currents of ras-transformed fibroblasts with currents of their nontransformed counterparts. A prominent calcium-activated, voltage-independent potassium current was observed in 83-100% of cells from three separate fibroblast lines transformed by two different oncogenic ras alleles, whereas the same current was present at much smaller amplitudes in only 0-15% of nontransformed cells. The calcium-activated potassium current is blocked by charybdotoxin and by concentrations of tetraethylammonium above 1 mM, but it is insensitive to apamin. Both normal and ras-transformed cells have another calcium-activated current that is not potassium selective, and, consistent with other studies, normal cells display a voltage-activated calcium conductance. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which ras triggers or maintains cell transformation may involve alterations in the number or activity of certain ion channels, in particular, a type of calcium-activated potassium channel.