Abstract
The influence of intracellular pH (pHi) on intracellular Ca2+ activity ([Ca2+]i) in HT29 cells was examined microspectrofluorometrically. pHi was changed by replacing phosphate buffer by the diffusible buffers CO2/HCO3 –or NH3/NH4 + (pH 7.4). CO2/HCO3 –buffers at 2,5 or 10% acidified pHi by 0.1, 0.32 and 0.38 pH units, respectively, and increased [Ca2+]i by 8–15 nmol/l. This effect was independent of the extracellular Ca2+ activity and the filling state of thapsigargin-sensitive Ca2+ stores. Removing the CO2/HCO3 –buffer alkalinized pHi by 0.14 (2%), 0.27 (5%), and 0.38 (10%) units and enhanced [Ca2+]i to a peak value of 20, 65, and 143 nmol/l, respectively. Experiments carried out with Ca2+-free solution and with thapsigargin showed that the [Ca2+]i transient was due to release from intracellular pools and stimulated Ca2+ entry. NH3/NH4 + (20 mmol/l) induced a transient intracellular alkalinization by 0.6 pHunits and increased [Ca2+]i to a peak (Δ [Ca2+]i = 164 nmol/l). The peak [Ca2+]i increase was not influenced by removal of external Ca2+, but the decline to basal [Ca2+]i was faster. Neither the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 nor the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP 3) antagonist theophylline had any influence on the NH3/NH4 +-stimulated [Ca2+]i increase, whereas carbachol-induced [Ca2+]i transients were reduced by more than 80% and 30%, respectively. InsP 3 measurements showed no change of InsP 3 during exposure to NH3/NH4 +, whereas carbachol enhanced the InsP 3 concentration, and this effect was abolished by U73122. The pHi influence on ”capacitative” Ca2+ influx was also examined. An acid pHi attenuated, and an alkaline pHi enhanced, carbachol- and thapsigargin-induced [Ca2+]i influx. We conclude that: (1) an alkaline pHi releases Ca2+ from InsP 3-dependent intracellular stores; (2) the store release is InsP 3 independent and occurs via an as yet unknown mechanism; (3) the store release stimulates capacitative Ca2+ influx; (4) the capacitative Ca2+ influx activated by InsP 3 agonists is decreased by acidic and enhanced by alkaline pHi. The effects of pHi on [Ca2+]i should be of relevance under many physiological conditions.
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Received: 17 June 1996 / Received after revision and accepted: 30 August 1996
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Nitschke, R., Riedel, A., Ricken, S. et al. The effect of intracellular pH on cytosolic Ca2+ in HT29 cells. Pfluegers Arch 433, 98–108 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240050254
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004240050254