Modulation of human T-lymphocyte plasma membrane Ca+2 permeability by imidazole antimycotics.

The role of cytochrome P-450 in the regulation of plasma membrane Ca+2 permeability of human peripheral T-lymphocytes by intracellular Ca+2 was examined. We assessed the effect of imidazole inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 on the intracytoplasmic free Ca+2 ([Ca+2]i) response generated using the microsomal ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (THG) to deplete the intracellular Ca+2 stores. Econazole, miconazole and clotrimazole dramatically inhibited the THG mediated increase in [Ca-2]i and induced an increase in [Ca+2]i themselves. This inhibitory effect was previously observed in other cell systems and was attributed to inhibition of cytochrome P-450 by these agents. However, we evaluated a variety of structurally dissimilar P-450 inhibitors and found that none affected [Ca+2]i, indicating that the mechanism of imidazole action does not involve P-450.