Attenuation of calmodulin regulation evokes Ca2+ oscillations: evidence for the involvement of intracellular arachidonate-activated channels and connexons.

Intracellular Са2+ controls its own level by regulation of Ca2+ transport across the plasma and organellar membranes, often acting via calmodulin (CaM). Drugs antagonizing CaM action induce an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in different cells. We have found persistent Са2+ oscillations in cultured white adipocytes in response to calmidazolium (CMZ). They appeared at [CMZ] > 1 μM as repetitive sharp spikes mainly superimposed on a transient or elevated baseline. Similar oscillations were observed when we used trifluoperazine. Oscillations evoked by 5 μM CMZ resulted from the release of stored Ca2+ and were supported by Са2+ entry. Inhibition of store-operated channels by YM-58483 or 2-APB did not change the responses. Phospholipase A2 inhibited by AACOCF3 was responsible for initial Ca2+ mobilization, but not for subsequent oscillations, whereas inhibition of iPLA2 by BEL had no effect. Phospholipase C was partially involved in both stages as revealed with U73122. Intracellular Са2+ stores engaged by CMZ were entirely dependent on thapsigargin. The oscillations existed in the presence of inhibitors of ryanodine or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors, or antagonists of Ca2+ transport by lysosome-like acidic stores. Carbenoxolone or octanol, blockers of hemichannels (connexons), when applied for two hours, prevented oscillations but did not affect the initial Са2+ release. Incubation with La3+ for 2 or 24 h inhibited all responses to CMZ, retaining the thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ rise. These results suggest that Ca2+-CaM regulation suppresses La3+-sensitive channels in non-acidic organelles, of which arachidonate-activated channels initiate Ca2+ oscillations, and connexons are intimately implicated in their generation mechanism.