title: The effect of Portuguese Man-of-war (Physalia physalis) venom on calcium, sodium and potassium fluxes of cultured embryonic chick heart cells.
abstract: Portuguese Man-of-war venom markedly increases calcium (45Ca2+) influx into primary, cultured, embryonic chick heart cells. This action is dose-dependent, but is unaffected by organic calcium blockers (diltiazem, verapamil, nifedipine, nimodipine and mibefradil). On the other hand, certain trivalent (La3+, Gd3+) and divalent (Zn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Mn2+) metals inhibit venom-induced calcium influx. Sodium (22Na+) influx into chick heart cells is also significantly increased by Man-of-war venom. Flecainide does not block venom-induced sodium influx. The efflux of the potassium analogue, 86Rb+, from heart cells is also significantly increased by the venom. The venom, however, has little or no effect on rubidium (86Rb+) or 2-deoxy-D-[2-3H] glucose influx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hessinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D037402:Hydrozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D008670:Metals / Q000494:pharmacology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012414:Rubidium Radioisotopes; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D008670:Metals; D012414:Rubidium Radioisotopes; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium