Oxygen availability modulates transmembrane ca2+-flux via second messenger pathways in anoxia-tolerant hepatocytes. Land, S. C., R. H. Sanger, and P. J. S. Smith. Biocurrents Research Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A.
APStracts 3:0500A, 1996.
Transmembrane Ca2+-flux was studied from single isolated turtle hepatocytes using a non-invasive Ca2+-selective self-referencing microelectrode. Cells in Ca2+-reduced culture medium demonstrated a vanadate and lanthanum inhibitable Ca2+-efflux of 4 x10-17 mol Ca2+.[mu][mu]-2.sec-1 continuously over 170h. This flux diminished with 50nM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, a protein kinase-C (PK-C) activator, and was reinstated on PK-C de-activation with sphingosine. Progressive hypoxia resulted in a reversible suppression of Ca2+-efflux to 90% of normoxic controls with an apparent KmO2 of 145[mu]M. PK-C activation was critical in this suppression as anaerobic administration of sphingosine caused a Ca2+-influx, and cell rupture. Hypoxia was also associated with an altered pattern of adenosine-mediated control over Ca2+-efflux. 100[mu]M adenosine elevated Ca2+-efflux 2-fold in normoxia, but neither adenosine nor the A1 purinoreceptor antagonist, 8-phenyltheophylline altered the observed aerobic suppression. Aerobic administration of 2-10mM KCN failed to reproduce the anaerobic suppression, however, in conjunction with 10mM iodoacetate, complete metabolic blockade caused a Ca2+-influx and cell rupture. These observations suggest modulatory control by oxygen over transmembrane Ca2+-efflux involving second messenger systems in the hypoxic transition.

Received 4 March 1996; accepted in final form 25 October 1996.
APS Manuscript Number A213-6.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 13 November 1996