REGULATION OF THE FORMATION OF INOSITOL PHOSPHATES BY CALCIUM, GUANINE-NUCLEOTIDES AND ATP IN DIGITONIN-PERMEABILIZED BOVINE ADRENAL CHROMAFFIN CELLS

Both micromolar Ca2+ and guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) stimulated the formation of inositol phosphates (InsPs) in digitonin-permeabilized chromaffin cells prelabelled with [H-3]inositol. The production of InsPs was potentiated by ATP. Guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]) caused a GTP-reversible shift to higher concentrations in the Ca2+-concentration-response curve for the release of InsPs without changing the maximal response. GTP[S] caused a shift to lower concentrations of Ca2+ and also increased the maximal response. The effects of GTP[S] and Ca2+ were synergistic. Although as much as 80% of the InsPs were derived from phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdInsP) or 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2), the amount of InsPs produced could be several times the total amount of PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 in the cells and was largely accounted for by a decrease in PtdIns. The levels of labelled PtdInsP and PtdInsP2 increased on stimulation with Ca2+, but decreased on stimulation with GTP[S] or the combination of Ca2+ and GTP[S]. Preincubation with Ca2+ and ATP amplified the subsequent GTP[S]-induced production of InsPs. ATP and its gamma-thio and beta-gamma-imido analogues stimulated the formation of InsPs in intact cells. However, only ATP potentiated the responses to Ca2+ and GTP[S] in permeable cells. Our main conclusions are: (1) a GTP-binding protein participates in the Ca2+-induced production of InsPs by phospholipase C, and (2) ATP markedly potentiates the stimulated formation of InsPs, an effect with arises from its role in polyphosphoinositide synthesis and does not involve purinergic receptor activation in permeabilized cells. The data also suggest that the different effects of Ca2+ and GTP[S] on polyphosphoinositide synthesis probably contribute to the synergistic action of Ca2+ and GTP[S] on the generation of InsPs.