CALMIDAZOLIUM LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN THE CYTOSOLIC CA2-DISCOIDEUM BYINDUCTION OF CA2+ RELEASE FROM INTRACELLULAR STORES AND INFLUX OF EXTRACELLULAR CA2+( CONCENTRATION IN DICTYOSTELIUM)

The Ca2+ stores of Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae take part in contr ol of homoeostasis of the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i) ) and the cyclic-AMP-induced [Ca2+](i)-signalling cascade. In order to characterize regulatory mechanisms of these stores, we incubated cell s with the calmodulin antagonist calmidazolium. Measurement of permeab ilized and intact cells in suspension with a Ca2+-sensitive electrode revealed that calmidazolium induced Ca2+ release from intracellular st ores, influx of Ca2+ across the plasma membrane and subsequent efflux. In single fura-2-loaded cells calmidazolium evoked rapid and global t ransient elevations of [Ca2+](i). Other calmodulin antagonists (triflu operazine, chlorpromazine, fendiline and W7) also induced transient el evations of [Ca2+](i), which were, however, slower and observed in few er cells. The calmidazolium-induced influx of extracellular Ca2+ was i nhibited by preincubation with 2,5-di-(t-butyl)-1 ,4-hydroquinone (BHQ ) and 7-chloro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl), both known to i nteract with pumps of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive store, and by the V-type H+-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A(1), which affects the acidosomal Ca2+ store. Incubation with pump inhibitors did not itself induce changes in [Ca2+](i). We conclude that the effects of calmidazolium are, at least in part, mediated by its calmodulin-ant agonizing properties, that it acts by inducing Ca2+ release from fille d storage compartments, and that its target of action is both the IP3- sensitive store and the acidosome; emptying of these stores leads to i nflux of extracellular Ca2+.