Regulation of calcium transport in pancreatic acinar plasma membranes from guinea pig.

The regulation of the guinea-pig pancreatic acinar plasma membrane Ca2+ pump by protein kinase A, protein kinase C and calmodulin was investigated. The results were compared with the effects of these regulators on the high affinity Ca(2+)-ATPase found in this membrane preparation. The catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase stimulated Ca2+ transport 2-fold, but had no effect on Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity. Purified protein kinase C, the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate and diacylglycerol derivative, 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol, failed to stimulate the Ca(2+)-uptake but augmented the Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity. Exogenously added calmodulin failed to stimulate either activity. In addition, two antagonists of calmodulin activity, trifluoperazine and compound 48/80 produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of Ca(2+)-transport. These data suggest the presence of endogenous calmodulin within guinea-pig pancreatic acinar plasma membranes. Both calmodulin antagonists failed to influence the Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity. The ability of boiled extracts from guinea-pig pancreatic acinar plasma membranes to stimulate the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in calmodulin-depleted erythrocyte plasma membranes confirmed the presence of endogenous calmodulin. Our results imply a role for calmodulin and cAMP-dependent protein kinase, but not protein kinase C, in the regulation of Ca2+ efflux from pancreatic acinar cells. These results also provide further evidence suggesting that the high affinity Ca(2+)-ATPase does not catalyze the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-transport activity observed in pancreatic acini.