title: Effect of thapsigargin on cytoplasmic Ca2+ and proliferation of human lymphocytes in relation to AIDS.
abstract: The tumor-promoting sesquiterpene lactone, thapsigargin, induced a dose-dependent increase of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([ Ca2+]i) in human lymphocytes from a resting level between 100 and 150 nM up to about 1 microM. Half-maximum response was found at about 1 nM of thapsigargin, full response at 100 nM. The effect of thapsigargin on [Ca2+]i exceeded that of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) which raised [Ca2+]i to maximum 300 nM. In combination with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), thapsigargin stimulated the proliferation of normal lymphocytes to the same extent as did PHA, whereas the thapsigargin/PMA treatment could not restore the defective proliferation of AIDS lymphocytes in spite of the increased [Ca2+]i. Thapsigargin or PMA added separately had no stimulatory effects on cell proliferation. The thapsigargin/PMA treatment caused an increase in the interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of the lymphocytes, which was much higher than that caused by the PHA treatment, even in AIDS lymphocytes. Moreover, the thapsigargin/PMA treatment stimulated the expression of the IL-2 receptors on both normal and AIDS lymphocytes, similar to the effect of PHA. It is concluded that thapsigargin exerts its effects on lymphocyte proliferation by increasing [Ca2+]i, and that the general defect of AIDS lymphocytes, rather than being ascribed to the initiating signal systems, is associated with later events related to DNA synthesis and proliferation.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D001572:Benzofurans; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016257:Fura-2; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D019284:Thapsigargin
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000001:Calcimycin; D019284:Thapsigargin; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2