Detection of a calmodulin-sensitive cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in rat parotid gland

Effects of calcium and calmodulin on the binding of rat parotid secretion granules to the plasma membrane

Since numerous studies suggest that Ca++ and calmodulin may modulate the fusion of secretion granules to the plasma membrane which takes place in exocytosis, we have examined the role of calcium and calmodulin in the binding of isolated parotid secretion granules to plasma membrane vesicles. 125I-labeled inside-out plasma membrane vesicles were incubated with secretion granules, the mixture was layered over 20% sucrose, the gradient was centrifuged, and the amount of 125I in the granule pellet was determined. Addition of Ca++ (20 nM to 10 microM) produced a concentration-dependent increase in the binding of 125I-labeled plasma membrane vesicles to the secretion granules, reaching a maximum value at 10 microM free Ca++; half-maximal binding occurred at 400 nM. Neither right-side-out parotid plasma membrane vesicles nor inside-out pancreatic islet plasma membrane vesicles bound to granules in the presence of 1 microM Ca++. Calmodulin produced a concentration-dependent increase in binding above that of Ca++ alone, and this effect was inhibited by the calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine and calmidazolium. Incubation of secretion granules with octadecylrhodamine B (R18)-loaded inside-out plasma membrane vesicles and 2 microM Ca++ caused de-quenching of fluorescence, indicating that the lipids in the granule membrane and the plasma membrane had intermixed. Added calmodulin increased the fluorescence two-fold above that with Ca++ alone. These results suggest that Ca++ and calmodulin may play a role in parotid gland exocytosis by modulating the interaction between the secretion granules and plasma membrane.

Calcium dependency of adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic stimulation of mucin release from dog submandibular gland cells

Stimulation of muscarinic cholinergic, alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic receptors elicited mucin release from dispersed dog submandibular cells. The secretory response to acetylcholine was much more pronounced than to adrenergic agonists, and largely dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+, but the dependency on extracellular Na+ was slight. Ionomycin also stimulated mucin release. In rat submandibular cells, neither muscarinic cholinergic agonists nor ionomycin were as effective mucosecretagogues as beta-adrenergic agonists. alpha-Adrenoceptor-mediated release was decreased by chelating extracellular Ca2+ with EGTA. The beta-adrenoceptor-mediated response was diminished by extensive exposure of cells to EGTA, due at least in part to the requirement of Ca2+ for beta-adrenoceptor stimulation of cAMP formation. 8-br-cAMP stimulated 45Ca2+ release from cells preloaded with 45Ca2+. The 8-br-cAMP-induced mucin release was eliminated in ionomycin-pretreated cells, but not inhibited by chelating extracellular Ca2+ and by the treatment of the cells with TMB-8 or in the cells loaded with BAPTA. These results suggest that not only the adrenergic system but also the muscarinic cholinergic system may participate in the regulation of mucin release in dog submandibular gland, and also provide the possibility that, in addition to a cAMP-mediated mechanism, Ca(2+)-dependent mechanisms may be involved in mucosecretion in dog submandibular acini.

A Ca2+-linked increase in coupled cAMP synthesis and hydrolysis is an early event in cholinergic and beta-adrenergic stimulation of parotid secretion

The dynamics and compartmental characteristics of cAMP metabolism were examined by 18O labeling of cellular adenine nucleotide alpha phosphoryls in rat parotid gland stimulated to secrete with beta-adrenergic and cholinergic agents. The secretory response occurred in association with a rapidly increased rate of cAMP hydrolysis apparently coordinated with an equivalent increase in the rate of cAMP synthesis, since the cellular concentration of cAMP remained unchanged. The magnitude of this metabolic response was equivalent to the metabolism of 10-75 times the cellular content of cAMP within the first minute of stimulation. This increased metabolic rate occurred only during the early (1-3 min) period of stimulation, in what appeared to be an exclusive cellular compartment distinguished by a unique distribution of 18O among adenine nucleotide alpha phosphoryls. This 18O distribution contrasted with that produced by forskolin, which increased cellular cAMP concentration and elicited only a delayed response missing the early secretory component. The early acceleration of cAMP metabolism appeared linked to a stimulus-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, since the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin produced the same metabolic response in association with secretion. These observations suggest that cAMP metabolism is involved in stimulus-secretion coupling by a Ca2+-linked mechanism different from that in which cAMP plays the role of a second messenger.

Altered calmodulin activity in buccal epithelial cells from cystic fibrosis patients

Boiled extracts of buccal epithelial cells from control subjects and cystic fibrosis patients were shown to possess calmodulin like activity, as assessed by their ability to activate calmodulin-deficient cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. Estimation of calmodulin content, using pure calmodulin as standard revealed that control extracts contained 3.08 +/- 0.71 SEM (n = 7) micrograms calmodulin/mg protein and cystic fibrosis extracts 0.88 +/- 0.30 SEM (n = 12) micrograms calmodulin/mg protein (p less than 0.02 for difference from control). The results indicate that the biological activity of calmodulin is altered in buccal epithelial cells from cystic fibrosis individuals.

Biochemical and genetic exclusion of calmodulin as the site of the basic defect in cystic fibrosis

Recent physiological studies have shown a defective beta-adrenergic regulation of chloride transport and protein secretion in tissues affected by cystic fibrosis. The exact biochemical nature of this abnormality is unknown, but an intracellular second messenger may be involved. We have tested the hypothesis that calmodulin is the site of the basic defect in CF using biochemical and molecular genetic techniques. We report here that there is no gross structural abnormality in the calmodulin protein from CF submandibular glands, and that although there are at least three distinct sequences that cross-hybridise with a calmodulin cDNA probe in the human genome, none of these can be the locus of CF. A polymorphism at the locus of a calmodulin cross-hybridising sequence at human chromosome 7p2 is described.

Mechanism of the inhibitory effect of trifluoperazine on isoprenaline-evoked amylase secretion from isolated rat parotid glands

We have investigated the effects of the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine (TFP) on amylase secretion and adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) metabolism using incubated parotid glands of young rats. Exposing unstimulated glands to 100 microM TFP doubled the basal rate of amylase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, but had no effect on either the parotid cyclic AMP or ATP contents. Isoprenaline (1 microM) stimulated amylase secretion and increased the tissue cyclic AMP content. 100 microM TFP inhibited these responses by 46% and 33%, respectively. N6,O2-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) mimicked the effect of isoprenaline on amylase release but 100 microM TFP had no effect on this response. 10 microM TFP inhibited F- -stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a subcellular fraction isolated from the parotid by 32%. We conclude that TFP may inhibit isoprenaline-evoked amylase secretion from the rat parotid by an effect on either the catalytic or regulatory subunits of adenylate cyclase.

Chlorpromazine inhibition of muscarinic-cholinergic responses in the rat parotid gland

The ability of chlorpromazine (CPZ) to inhibit muscarinic-cholinergic secretory events was studied in vitro in rat parotid acinar cells. CPZ inhibited carbachol-induced amylase release in a dose-dependent fashion but had no effect on that elicited by isoproterenol. The inhibition of parotid protein synthesis induced by carbachol, but not that induced by A23187, was blocked by CPZ. CPZ exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding to muscarinic receptors, and altered the KD of the receptor for the ligand. These results are consistent with an ability of CPZ to inhibit muscarinic-cholinergic-induced salivary secretion by complex interference with receptor binding. In addition, CPZ may block parotid-muscarinic responses by impeding a post-receptor signaling step which is proximal to Ca2+ mobilization.

Electrophoretic identification of calmodulin in rat parotid gland

A heat-stable extract of rat parotid gland contained a protein the electrophoretic migration of which on SDS-polyacrylamide gel was accelerated by Ca2+. Its apparent molecular weight was about 17 or 20 K in the presence or absence of Ca2+, respectively; it was able to bind Ca2+. These properties are exactly those of purified calmodulin.

Mechanism of action of extracellular calcium on isoprenaline-evoked amylase secretion from isolated rat parotid glands

The effects of extracellular Ca2+ deprivation on amylase secretion, 45Ca efflux and cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) metabolism were investigated in incubated parotid glands of young rats. Reducing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 2.5 X 10(-3) M to 10(-6) M had no effect on amylase secretion but did increase the rate of 45Ca efflux from unstimulated glands. Isoprenaline (10(-5) M) increased amylase secretion and the rate of 45Ca efflux in media containing 2.5 X 10(-3) M-Ca2+, and also increased the parotid cyclic AMP content. When glands were pre-incubated for either 10, 20, or 30 min in media containing either 10(-3) or 10(-6) M-Ca2+ there was no effect on the peak rate of amylase secretion stimulated by isoprenaline but the response took longer to develop. The effects of the same experimental manoeuvre on the net change in 45Ca efflux stimulated by isoprenaline were consistent with the idea that the beta-adrenergic agonist mobilizes Ca2+ from a number of intracellular pools. When glands were pre-incubated for 100 min in Ca2+-depleted buffers and then exposed to isoprenaline a triphasic effect on amylase secretion was observed. The secretory response was depressed when the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was lowered from 2.5 X 10(-3) M to 10(-3) M; remained unaffected when the extracellular Ca2+ was further reduced to 10(-5) M; and was virtually abolished when the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was decreased to 10(-6) M. When glands were pre-incubated for 100 min in media containing Ca2+ at concentrations above 10(-5) M and then stimulated with isoprenaline parallel changes in cyclic AMP content and amylase secretion were observed. At lower Ca2+ concentrations there was no further reduction in cyclic AMP content. The lipophilic cyclic AMP analogue N6,O2-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) mimicked the effects of isoprenaline on amylase secretion and 45Ca efflux. However, the amylase secretory response took longer to develop and the 45Ca efflux response was of shorter duration. These responses were reduced after pre-incubation of glands for 100 min in a medium containing 10(-6) M-Ca2+. Ca2+ at concentrations up to 10(-7) M enhanced parotid adenylate cyclase activity but higher concentrations were inhibitory. The same pattern of Ca2+ sensitivity was seen for basal and also isoprenaline and F--stimulated activities. The results show that isoprenaline can mobilize Ca2+ from a number of intracellular pools which may exchange at different rates with the extracellular medium. This Ca2+ may be required at a minimum of two sites in the amylase secretory pathway.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effects of Ca2+ and calmodulin antagonists on the oxygen uptake induced by acetylcholine or substance P in rat submandibular gland slices

Effects of Ca2+ and calmodulin antagonists on the oxygen uptake induced by acetylcholine (ACh) or substance P (SP) were investigated in rat submandibular gland slices. The oxygen uptake induced by ACh or SP was significantly inhibited by removing Ca2+ from the medium and the slices. The oxygen uptake by ACh in the Ca2+-deficient slices was almost completely recovered by the addition of 3.0 and 5.0 mM Ca2+, whereas that by SP was not recovered by the addition of 3.0 mM Ca2+, but recovered by 5.0 mM Ca2+. Ca2+ antagonists, diltiazem, verapamil and La3+, significantly inhibited the ACh-induced oxygen uptake. On the other hand, the SP-induced oxygen uptake was inhibited by diltiazem and La3+, but not by verapamil. Calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine and W-7, had no inhibitory effects on the ACh-induced oxygen uptake. The SP-induced oxygen uptake was not affected by trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine and low concentrations of W-7, but was inhibited by high concentrations of W-7. These results suggest that the ACh- or SP-induced oxygen uptake is dependent on the presence and permeability of Ca2+ with a subtle difference between the ACh and the SP mechanisms and that the oxygen uptake is independent of calmodulin.

The effect of calmodulin antagonists on amylase release from the rat parotid gland in vitro

The effect of several calmodulin antagonists on the release of alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) from rat parotid gland minces was investigated as an approach to determine whether calmodulin has a role in the stimulus-secretion coupling mechanism in this tissue. The phenothiazines, trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, and thioridazine, failed to inhibit amylase release induced by N6,O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate. All three phenothiazines increased basal amylase release at high concentrations. This release was independent of cellular energy, indicating that the release was probably due to the membrane perturbing properties of these compounds rather than their ability to antagonize calmodulin. R24571, a more potent calmodulin antagonist, also failed to inhibit amylase release induced by N6,O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate but increased basal amylase release. A different calmodulin antagonist, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, partially inhibited release while 8-(N,N-diethylamino)-octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride (TMB-8) completely blocked the amylase release induced by the cyclic AMP derivative. However, concentrations of TMB-8 inhibiting amylase release drastically reduced the ATP concentration of rat parotid minces, suggesting that the inhibition of secretion was due to toxic effects of TMB-8 on parotid cells rather than the ability of the compound to antagonize calmodulin. The use of calmodulin antagonists has therefore failed to implicate calmodulin as an intermediate in the stimulus-secretion coupling mechanism of the rat parotid gland.