Permeable analogues of cGMP promote hepatic calcium inflow induced by the synergistic action of glucagon and vasopressin but inhibit that induced by vasopressin alone

Ca(2+) -permeable channels in the hepatocyte plasma membrane and their roles in hepatocyte physiology

Hepatocytes are highly differentiated and spatially polarised cells which conduct a wide range of functions, including intermediary metabolism, protein synthesis and secretion, and the synthesis, transport and secretion of bile acids. Changes in the concentrations of Ca(2+) in the cytoplasmic space, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, and other intracellular organelles make an essential contribution to the regulation of these hepatocyte functions. While not yet fully understood, the spatial and temporal parameters of the cytoplasmic Ca(2+) signals and the entry of Ca(2+) through Ca(2+)-permeable channels in the plasma membrane are critical to the regulation by Ca(2+) of hepatocyte function. Ca(2+) entry across the hepatocyte plasma membrane has been studied in hepatocytes in situ, in isolated hepatocytes and in liver cell lines. The types of Ca(2+)-permeable channels identified are store-operated, ligand-gated, receptor-activated and stretch-activated channels, and these may vary depending on the animal species studied. Rat liver cell store-operated Ca(2+) channels (SOCs) have a high selectivity for Ca(2+) and characteristics similar to those of the Ca(2+) release activated Ca(2+) channels in lymphocytes and mast cells. Liver cell SOCs are activated by a decrease in Ca(2+) in a sub-region of the ER enriched in type1 IP(3) receptors. Activation requires stromal interaction molecule type 1 (STIM1), and G(i2alpha,) F-actin and PLCgamma1 as facilitatory proteins. P(2x) purinergic channels are the only ligand-gated Ca(2+)-permeable channels in the liver cell membrane identified so far. Several types of receptor-activated Ca(2+) channels have been identified, and some partially characterised. It is likely that TRP (transient receptor potential) polypeptides, which can form Ca(2+)- and Na(+)-permeable channels, comprise many hepatocyte receptor-activated Ca(2+)-permeable channels. A number of TRP proteins have been detected in hepatocytes and in liver cell lines. Further experiments are required to characterise the receptor-activated Ca(2+) permeable channels more fully, and to determine the molecular nature, mechanisms of activation, and precise physiological functions of each of the different hepatocyte plasma membrane Ca(2+) permeable channels.

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) effects on intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i in mouse gonadotrope-derived alphaT3-1 cell line

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), the third member of the atrial natriuretic peptide family, acts via guanylyl cyclase containing GC-B receptors to stimulate cyclic guanosine 3',5' monophosphate (cGMP) accumulation in the gonadotrope-derived alphaT3-1 cell line and rat pituitary cells. This effect is inhibited by concomitant activation of the phospholipase C (PLC)-coupled gonadotrophin hormone-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors in these cells. Since GnRH stimulates gonadotrophin secretion from gonadotropes by increasing the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and natriuretic peptides have been found to influence PLC/Ca2+ signalling in other systems, we have investigated whether CNP can alter basal or GnRH-stimulated changes in [Ca2+]i in alphaT3-1 cells. In Ca 2+-containing medium, 10(-7) M CNP modestly, but significantly increased [Ca2+]i over several min, but subsequently inhibited the elevation of [Ca2+]i in response to 10(-7) M GnRH in both Ca2+-containing and Ca2+-free medium. This inhibitory effect was mimicked by 10(-6) M 8-Br-cGMP, but not by ANP, indicating mediation by cyclic GMP and the CNP-specific GC-B receptor. However, basal and GnRH-stimulated inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) generation were not measurably affected by CNP, and CNP failed to affect thapsigargin-induced capacitative Ca2+ entry. Thus, it appears that the cross-talk between CNP and GnRH in these cells is reciprocal in that GnRH modulates CNP effects on cGMP generation, whereas, CNP modulates GnRH effects on Ca2+ mobilisation.