title: Extracellular ATP induces spikes in cytosolic free Ca(2+) but not in NADPH oxidase activity in neutrophils.
abstract: In order to establish whether non-mitochondrial oxidase activity in human neutrophils is tightly related to cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration, we simultaneously measured Ca(2+) oscillations induced by ATP and oxidant production in single adherent neutrophils using confocal microscopy. ATP induced fast damped Ca(2+) spikes with a period of 15s and slower irregular spikes with a period greater than 50s. Spikes in Ca(2+) occurred in the absence of Ca(2+) influx, but the amplitude was damped by inhibition of Ca(2+) influx. Using the oxidation of hydroethidine as a cytosolic marker of oxidant production, we show that the generation of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils adherent to glass was accelerated by ATP. The step-up in NADPH oxidase activity followed the first elevation of cytosolic Ca(2+) but, despite subsequent spikes in Ca(2+) concentration, no oscillations in oxidase activity could be detected. ATP induced spikes in Ca(2+) in a very reproducible way and we propose that the Ca(2+) signal is an on-switch for oxidase activity, but the activity is apparently not directly correlated with spiking activity in cytosolic Ca(2+).
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark. jcbrasen@sund.ku.dk
authors: Jens Christian
authors: JC
authors: Brasen
authors: Lars Folke
authors: LF
authors: Olsen
authors: Maurice B
authors: MB
authors: Hallett