Propagation of intercellular Ca2+ waves in mechanically stimulated articular chondrocytes

FEBS Letters

Vittur, Franco¹  D'Andrea, Paola¹ 

[1] Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Chimica delle Macromolecole, Università di Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

关键词: Calcium signalling;    Gap junction;    Mechanical stimulation;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(96)01356-7

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Intercellular Ca²⁺ signalling in primary cultures of articular chondrocytes was investigated with digital fluorescence video imaging. Mechanical stimulation of a single cell induced a wave of increased Ca²⁺ that was communicated to surrounding cells. Intercellular Ca²⁺ spreading was inhibited by 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid, demonstrating the involvement of gap junctions in signal propagation. In the absence of extracellular Ca²⁺ mechanical stimulation failed to induce Ca²⁺ responses and communicated Ca²⁺ waves. Under these conditions Ca²⁺ microinjection induced intercellular waves involving the cells immediately surrounding the stimulated one. Mechanical stress induced Ca²⁺ influx in the stimulated, but not in the adjacent cells, as assessed by the Mn²⁺ quenching technique. Cell treatment with thapsigargin failed to block mechanically induced signal propagation, but significantly reduced the number of cells involved in the communicated Ca²⁺ wave. Similar results were obtained with the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122, which is known to prevent InsP₃ generation. These results provide evidence that mechanical stimulation induces a cytosolic Ca²⁺ increase that may permeate gap junctions, thus acting as an intercellular messenger mediating cell-to-cell communication in articular chondrocytes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown