Somatostatin inhibits the norepinephrine-activated calcium channels in rMTC 6–23 cells: possible involvement of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein

Abstract

The mechanisms by which somatostatin inhibits hormone release are complex and involve, among other things, reduction of both intracellular cAMP and intracellular calcium. We studied the influence of the long-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide on norepinephrine (NE)-induced changes in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in fura-2 loaded single cells of a rat medullary carcinoma cell line, rMTC 6–23. Increases in the extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]e) induced a sudden rise in [Ca2+]i which could be blocked by EGTA or the calcium channel blocker verapamil. NE evoked a similar increase in [Ca2+]i, which also could be blocked by the addition of EGTA or verapamil. Octreotide prevented or reversed the NE-induced increase in [Ca2+ ]i. Pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin abolished the inhibitory effect of octreotide. Thus we conclude that the NE-induced rise in [Ca2+]i is due to an influx of [Ca2+ ]e, most probably through voltage-dependent calcium channels. Octreotide inhibits the NE-stimulated rise in [Ca2+ ]i by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein, most probably through a direct effect on NE-activated calcium channels.