Fluvastatin enhances receptor-stimulated intracellular Ca2+ release in human keratinocytes.

We analyzed the effect of isoprenoid depletion by fluvastatin on bradykinin (BK)- and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-mediated Ca2+ mobilization and prostaglandin E2 production, in the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. BK and EGF stimulated Ca2+ mobilization in an agonist-dependent manner. The synthesis of prostaglandin E2 paralleled the level of Ca2+ mobilization induced by BK and EGF. Treatment with fluvastatin increased the EGF-promoted but not the BK-promoted Ca2+ mobilization and prostaglandin E2 production in Ca(2+)-containing medium. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+, fluvastatin treatment led to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ release by both agonists. This effect was abolished by depleting the intracellular pool of Ca2+ with thapsigargin. Our findings showed that the intracellular Ca2+ release was dependent on the metabolism of mevalonate and that the Ca2+ mobilization modulated prostaglandin E2 synthesis in human keratinocytes.