High molecular weight dextran sulfate inhibits intracellular Ca2+ release and decreases growth factor-induced increases in intracellular free Ca2+ in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts.

High molecular weight (500 kDa) dextran sulfate (DXS) inhibited the release of Ca2+ induced by myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate from non-mitochondrial stores of saponin-permeabilized Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts with an IC50 of 20 micrograms/mL. Low molecular weight (5 kDa) DXS did not have this effect. DXS was more inhibitory than heparin, which in the same system had an IC50 of 62 micrograms/mL. DXS also produced a small inhibition of Ca2+ release by arachidonic acid and GTP but did not affect Ca2+ release by 4-bromo A23187 or halothane. The transient increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in intact Swiss 3T3 cells caused by platelet-derived growth factor was completely inhibited by 100 micrograms/mL of DXS, but DXS had no effect on the [Ca2+]i increase caused by bradykinin or vasopressin. The specific binding of platelet-derived growth factor, but not of bradykinin or vasopressin, to Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts was decreased by DXS. The effect of DXS in decreasing growth-factor mediated increases in [Ca2+]i may be mediated by an effect on the binding of growth factor to its receptor. An effect of DXS on the intracellular release of Ca2+ by second messengers to decrease changes in [Ca2+]i, however, cannot be ruled out.