Effects of protein phosphorylation on the regulation of capacitative calcium influx in Xenopus oocytes.

The regulation of capacitative Ca2+ influx in Xenopus oocytes was investigated using both the two electrode voltage-clamp (where Ca2+ is monitored through the Ca2+-dependent Cl- current) and patch-clamp techniques. Following stimulation of expressed 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors, capacitative Ca2+ influx deactivated in around 15 min. Following injection of [adenosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate)] (ATP [gamma-S]), an ATP analogue that is readily used by protein kinases, capacitative Ca2+ influx activated by 5-HT application either did not deactivate or was prolonged around twofold. However, injection of adenylyl 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene)-diphosphonate (AMP-PCP), another ATP analogue that is not utilised by kinases, did not affect the time-course of Ca2+ influx. When capacitative Ca2+ influx was activated by readmission of Ca2+ to oocytes incubated in thapsigargin/0 Ca2+ solution for several hours, Ca2+ influx occurred and a weakly saturating relationship between external Ca2+ and Ca2+ influx was found. Ca2+ influx in thapsigargin-treated cells was unaffected by ATP [gamma-S]. ATP [gamma-s] and several kinases had no effect on the Ca2+-dependent Cl- current when the latter was activated by elevation of Ca2+ independent of capacitative Ca2+ influx. Protein kinase C slowly and partially inhibited the Cl- current. Outside-out patches taken from thapsigargin-treated cells failed to demonstrated any Ca2+ current or Ca2+-dependent Cl- current on reapplying high Ca2+ to the patch, despite the oocyte showing a large capacitative Ca2+ influx. The results suggest that a kinase, activated on receptor stimulation, prolongs the activation time-course of capacitative Ca2+ influx.