Studies with verapamil and nifedipine provide evidence for the presence in the liver cell plasma membrane of two types of Ca2+ inflow transporter which are dissimilar to potential-operated Ca2+ channels

Bernard P. Hughes, Susan E. Milton, Gregory J. Barritt, Amanda M. Auld

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    Abstract

    The addition of 500 μM verapamil or nifedipine to isolated hepatocytes incubated in the presence of 1.3 mM Ca2+ caused 20% inhibition of Ca2+ inflow as measured by the initial rate of 45Ca2+ exchange. No stimulation of 45Ca2+ exchange was observed in the presence of the Ca2+ agonist CGP 28392. An increase in the concentration of extracellular K+ from 6 to 60 mM (to depolarize the plasma membrane) increased the initial rate of 45Ca2+ exchange by 30%. In the presence of 60 mM K+, 400 μM verapamil inhibited the initiate rate of 45Ca2+ exchange by 50%. Verapamil and nifedipine completely inhibited vasopressin-induced Ca2+ inflow as determined by measurement of the initial rate of 45Ca2+ exchange and of glycogen phosphorylase a activity. This effect of verapamil was completely reversed by increasing the extracellular concentration of Ca2+. The concentrations of Ca2+ antagonist which gave 50% inhibition of vasopressin- or K+-stimulated Ca2+ inflow were in the range 50-100 μM, about 50-fold greater than the concentration which gave 50% inhibition of the beating of electrically-stimulated myocardial muscle cells. In the absence of vasopressin, verapamil caused a transient increase in glycogen phosphorylase a activity by a process which is largely independent of Ca2+. It is concluded that verapamil and nifedipine inhibit the transport of Ca2+ across the hepatocyte plasma membrane through a putative Ca2+ transporter which is activated by vasopressin and which differs in nature from potential-operated Ca2+ channels in excitable cells and from the Ca2+ transporter present in hepatocytes in the absence of hormone.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)3045-3052
    Number of pages8
    JournalBiochemical Pharmacology
    Volume35
    Issue number18
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 1986

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