AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 264, Issue 5 E735-E740, Copyright © 1993 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Alpha-mediated changes in hepatocyte intracellular calcium in the catfish, Ictalurus melas

T. W. Moon, A. Capuzzo, A. C. Puviani, C. Ottolenghi and E. Fabbri
Institute of General Physiology, University of Ferrara, Italy.

Adult catfish, Ictalurus melas, hepatocytes respond to alpha-agonists by increasing intracellular free calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in a dose-dependent manner. Basal [Ca2+]i were approximately 78 nM in catfish hepatocytes; this value was increased by 213, 243, 131, and 238 nM in the presence of epinephrine (Epi; 10(-6) M), norepinephrine (NE; 10(-5) M), phenylephrine (PE; 10(-4) M), and isoproterenol (Iso; 10(-4) M), respectively. The binding constants were 3.4 x 10(-8), 2.6 x 10(-7), 9.8 x 10(-7), and 6.1 x 10(-5) M for Epi, NE, PE, and Iso, respectively, which is the same order of potency for these agonists reported for the alpha 1-adrenoceptor system of mammalian hepatocytes. The Epi-induced changes in [Ca2+]i were antagonized equally by phentolamine (PH; 10(-8) M) and yohimbine (10(-8) M) but poorly by propranolol (Prop; 10(-6) M), as indicated by their respective inhibitory constants. Epi (10(-7) M) induced a time-dependent increase in hepatocyte adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate concentration that was antagonized by Prop but not PH. There were, however, no clear agonist-induced changes in the activities of glycogen phosphorylase (total, a, or %a) under these conditions. These studies provide evidence that Epi and other adrenergic agonists increase [Ca2+]i by an alpha- or alpha 1-like adrenoceptor pathway in catfish hepatocytes, but the biochemical effector system responding to changes in [Ca2+]i has yet to be elucidated.

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