Effect of menthol on cytosolic Ca2+ levels in canine airway epithelium in culture.
Intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in canine cultured tracheal epithelium in response to cyclic alcohols was measured by a fura-2 method. Menthol rapidly increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent fashion, the maximal increase from the baseline levels and the concentration of menthol required to produce a half-maximal effect (EC50) being 148 +/- 23 nM (mean +/- SE, p < 0.001) and 0.3 mM, respectively, whereas other cyclic alcohols including menthone and cyclohexanol had no effect. The menthol-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was not affected by verapamil but partially inhibited by low Ca2+ medium in the presence of EGTA. These results indicate that menthol specifically increases cytosolic Ca2+ in airway epithelium, which may be derived from intracellular Ca2+ stores.
First Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
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S
Takeuchi
J
J
Tamaoki
M
M
Kondo
K
K
Konno
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D004285:Dogs; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008610:Menthol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology
D003511:Cyclohexanols; D013729:Terpenes; D008610:Menthol; C019466:menthone; D014700:Verapamil; D002118:Calcium