Interferon-gamma increases cellular calcium ion concentration and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation in human renal carcinoma cells: relation to ICAM-1 antigen expression.

In the present study, we investigated the effect of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on cellular calcium ion concentration [Ca2+]i and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins 1,4,5-P3) formation in the human renal carcinoma cell line CaKi-1. We also examined the possible role of a Ca(2+)-dependent mechanism during IFN-gamma-induced intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) antigen expression. IFN-gamma caused a rapid concentration-dependent rise in [Ca2+]i, which was partly inhibited by diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, TMB-8, an inhibitor of intracellular calcium redistribution, and in calcium-free medium. IFN-gamma caused a fourfold increase in Ins 1,4,5-P3 formation. The induction of ICAM-1 antigen expression was synergistically enhanced by 4-bromocalcium ionophore A23187. Finally, the calcium antagonists diltiazem. TMB-8 and EGTA, as well as two potent inhibitors of Ca(2+)-dependent kinases, calmidazolium (R24571) and W7, had no or only a minor inhibitory effect on IFN-gamma induction. Our data suggest that IFN-gamma increases [Ca2+]i in CaKi-1 cells by stimulating influx of Ca2+ and release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores, probably via Ins 1,4,5-P3 formation. IFN-gamma signal transduction in our model may not be limited to an increase in [Ca2+]i and Ins 1,4,5-P3, since IFN-gamma-induced ICAM-1 antigen expression was abrogated to a minor degree by calcium antagonists and not coupled to Ins 1,4,5-P3 formation.