title: Effects of the prostaglandins PGF2alpha and PGE2 on calcium signaling in rat hepatocyte doublets.
abstract: Coordination of intercellular Ca2+ signals is important for certain hepatic functions including biliary flow and glucose output. Prostaglandins, such as PGF2alpha and PGE2, may modify these hepatocyte functions by inducing Ca2+ increase, but very little is known about the organization of the Ca2+ signals induced by these agonists. We studied Ca2+ signals induced by PGF2alpha and PGE2 in fura-2 AM-loaded hepatocyte doublets. Even though both prostaglandins induced Ca2+ oscillations, neither PGF2alpha nor PGE2 induced coordinated Ca2+ oscillations in hepatocyte doublets. Gap junction permeability (GJP), assessed by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, showed that this absence of coordination was not related to a defect in GJP. Inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] assays and the increase in Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor sensitivity to Ins(1,4,5)P3 observed in response to thimerosal suggested that the absence of coordination was a consequence of the very small quantity of Ins(1,4,5)P3 formed by these prostaglandins. Furthermore, when PGE2 and PGF2alpha were added just before norepinephrine, they favored the coordination of Ca2+ signals induced by norepinephrine. However, GJP between hepatocyte doublets was strongly inhibited by prolonged (>or=2 h) treatment with PGF2alpha, thereby preventing the coordination of Ca2+ oscillations induced by norepinephrine in these cells. Thus, depending on the time window, prostaglandins, specially PGF2alpha, may enhance or diminish the propagation of Ca2+ signals. They may therefore contribute to the fine tuning of Ca2+ wave-dependent functions, such as nerve stimulation, hormonal regulation of liver metabolism, or bile secretion, in both normal and pathogenic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 442, Bâtiment 443, Université Paris-Sud, 15 rue Georges Clémenceau, 91405 Orsay cedex, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Koukoui
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boucherie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sezan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prigent
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Combettes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine