Phosphoinositide breakdown in isolated myelin is stimulated by GTP analogues and calcium.

Purified myelin from rat brainstem, prelabeled in vivo by intracerebral injection of [3H]myoinositol, showed enhanced breakdown of phosphoinositides on treatment with 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate [Gpp-(NH)p] and Ca2+. Concentration variation of the former in the presence of Ca2+ showed a dose-dependent release of inositol 1,4-bisphosphate (IP2) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), while inositol 1-phosphate (IP) release was erratic. Concentration-dependent release of IP2 and IP3 was also observed with Ca2+ as the variable in the presence of Gpp(NH)p. Carbachol, when present, did not enhance the stimulatory effect of Gpp(NH)p alone. Addition of diphosphoglycerate during incubation enhanced IP3 at the expense of IP2, suggesting the presence of IP3 phosphatase in myelin.