Calmodulin antagonists inhibit the phagocytic activity of cultured Kupffer cells.
The mechanism of phagocytosis by Kupffer cells is still unknown. In this study we found that trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, and W-7, drugs which bind to Ca2+-calmodulin and inhibit its interaction with other proteins, inhibit phagocytosis by cultured Kupffer cells using polystyrene beads, time-lapse VTR systems, and fluorescent staining techniques. Inhibitory effects of these drugs on phagocytosis suggests that the Ca2+-calmodulin system may be involved in this complex cellular function and the integrity of the cytoskeletal system of Kupffer cells is essential to this phenomenon.
Watanabe
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Hirose
M
M
Miyazaki
A
A
Tomono
M
M
Takeuchi
M
M
Kitamura
T
T
Namihisa
T
T
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008863:Microspheres; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014268:Trifluoperazine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000199:Actins; D002147:Calmodulin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014268:Trifluoperazine; C017967:W 7; D002746:Chlorpromazine