title: Nuclear calcium signaling: a cell within a cell.
abstract: Calcium (Ca2+) is a versatile second messenger that regulates a wide range of cellular functions. Although it is not established how a single second messenger coordinates diverse effects within a cell, there is increasing evidence that the spatial patterns of Ca2+ signals may determine their specificity. Ca2+ signaling patterns can vary in different regions of the cell and Ca2+ signals in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments have been reported to occur independently. No general paradigm has been established yet to explain whether, how, or when Ca2+ signals are initiated within the nucleus or their function. Here we highlight that receptor tyrosine kinases rapidly translocate to the nucleus. Ca2+ signals that are induced by growth factors result from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation within the nucleus rather than within the cytoplasm. This novel signaling mechanism may be responsible for growth factor effects on cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nathanson
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Leite
mesh_terms: D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases