title: Independent actions of asparagine and high levels of free Ca2+ in the induction of ornithine decarboxylase.
abstract: During growth stimulation of cells, Ca2+ and amino acids of the A, ASC and N transport systems are important for the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, L-ornithine carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.17). In order to clarify the relationship between Ca2+ and amino acids, we studied the induction of ODC by asparagine under three different Ca2+ states in H-35 rat hepatoma cells. First, in normal cells, extracellular Ca2+ above 0.1 mM and 10 mM asparagine separately stimulated ODC activity and their effects were approximately additive. In these normal cells, asparagine could act in the absence of medium Ca2+. TMB-8, a sequestered-Ca2+ release antagonist, had no effect on ODC induction whilst the asparagine action is sensitive to treatment with W7, a Ca-calmodulin antagonist, or lanthanum, a Ca2+ antagonist. Secondly, in cells treated with 0.5 mM EGTA in Ca(2+)-free medium, the asparagine action on ODC induction was blocked but the inhibition could be reversed by the addition of Ca2+ to the medium. Thirdly, ionomycin treatment in the absence of medium Ca2+ did not block the asparagine effect. Furthermore, in ionomycin-treated cells, the presence of high levels of medium Ca2+ increased ODC activity, but this increase was additive to, and could not replace, the action of asparagine. Our results indicate that the asparagine action does not depend on an increase of intracellular free-Ca2+.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist College, Kowloon.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Pong
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001216:Asparagine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D015759:Ionomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000494:pharmacology; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D015759:Ionomycin; D007811:Lanthanum; D001216:Asparagine; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase; D002118:Calcium