Effect of diindolylmethane on Ca(2+) movement and viability in HA59T human hepatoma cells.

The effect of diindolylmethane, a natural compound derived from indole-3-carbinol in cruciferous vegetables, on cytosolic Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) and viability in HA59T human hepatoma cells is unclear. This study explored whether diindolylmethane changed [Ca(2+)](i) in HA59T cells. The Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent dye fura-2 was applied to measure [Ca(2+)](i). Diindolylmethane at concentrations of 1-50 µM evoked a [Ca(2+)](i) rise in a concentration-dependent manner. The signal was reduced by removing Ca(2+). Diindolylmethane-induced Ca(2+) influx was not inhibited by nifedipine, econazole, SK&F96365, and protein kinase C modulators but was inhibited by aristolochic acid. In Ca(2+)-free medium, treatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitors thapsigargin or 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ) inhibited or abolished diindolylmethane-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. Incubation with diindolylmethane inhibited thapsigargin or BHQ-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U73122 reduced diindolylmethane-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. At concentrations of 10-75 µM, diindolylmethane killed cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The cytotoxic effect of diindolylmethane was not reversed by chelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Propidium iodide staining data suggest that diindolylmethane (25-50 µM) induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Collectively, in HA59T cells, diindolylmethane induced a [Ca(2+)](i) rise by causing phospholipase C-dependent Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca(2+) influx via phospholipase A(2)-sensitive channels. Diindolylmethane induced cell death that may involve apoptosis.

Effect of thymol on Ca2+ homeostasis and viability in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells.

AIMS: The effect of the natural product thymol on cytosolic Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) and viability in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells was examined. METHODS: The Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent dye fura-2 was applied to measure [Ca(2+)](i). RESULTS: Thymol at concentrations of 200-1,000 µmol/l induced a [Ca(2+)](i) rise in a concentration-dependent fashion. The response was decreased partially by removal of extracellular Ca(2+). Thymol-induced Ca(2+) entry was inhibited by nifedipine, econazole, SK&F96365 and protein kinase C modulators. When extracellular Ca(2+) was removed, incubation with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitor thapsigargin or 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ) inhibited the thymol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. Incubation with thymol also inhibited the thapsigargin or BHQ-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U73122 abolished the thymol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rise. At concentrations of 100-600 µmol/l, thymol killed cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This cytotoxic effect was not changed by chelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid/AM. Annexin V/propidium iodide staining data suggest that thymol (200 and 400 µmol/l) induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Thymol (200 and 400 µmol/l) also increased levels of reactive oxygen species. CONCLUSIONS: In MG63 cells, thymol induced a [Ca(2+)](i) rise by inducing phospholipase C-dependent Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca(2+) entry via protein kinase C-sensitive store-operated Ca(2+) channels. Thymol induced cell death that may involve apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways.

Effect of calmidazolium on [Ca2+]i and viability in human hepatoma cells.

The effect of calmidazolium on cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) and viability has not been explored in human hepatoma cells. This study examined whether calmidazolium altered [Ca2+]i and caused cell death in HA59T cells. [Ca2+]i and cell viability were measured using the fluorescent dyes fura-2 and WST-1, respectively. Calmidazolium at concentrations > or =1 microM increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 1.5 microM. The Ca2+ signal was reduced partly by removing extracellular Ca2+. Calmidazolium induced Mn2+ quench of fura-2 fluorescence implicating Ca2+ influx. The Ca2+ influx was insensitive to L-type Ca2+ entry blockers, but was inhibited partly by enhancing or inhibiting protein kinase C activity. In Ca2+-free medium, after pretreatment with 1 microM thapsigargin (an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor), calmidazolium-induced [Ca2+]i rises were largely inhibited; and conversely, calmidazolium pretreatment totally suppressed thapsigargin-induced [Ca2+]i rises. Inhibition of phospholipase C with 2 microM U73122 did not change calmidazolium-induced [Ca2+]i rises. At concentrations between 1 and 15 microM, calmidazolium induced apoptosis-mediated cell death. Collectively, in HA59T hepatoma cells, calmidazolium induced [Ca2+]i rises by causing Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum in a phospholipase C-independent manner, and Ca2+ influx via protein kinase C-regulated Ca2+ entry pathway. Calmidazolium caused cytotoxicity via apoptosis.

Effects of Antrodia camphorata extracts on the viability, apoptosis, [Ca2+]i, and MAPKs phosphorylation of OC2 human oral cancer cells.

The effect of Antrodia camphorata (AC) on human oral cancer cells has not been explored. This study examined the effect of AC on the viability, apoptosis, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) phosphorylation and Ca2+ regulation of OC2 human oral cancer cells. AC at a concentration of 25 microM induced an increase in cell viability, but AC at concentrations > or = 50 microg/ml decreased viability in a concentration-dependent manner. AC at concentrations of 100-200 microg/ml induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner as demonstrated by propidium iodide staining. AC (25 microg/ml) did not alter basal [Ca2+]i, but decreased the [Ca2+]i increases induced by ATP, bradykinin, histamine and thapsigargin. ATP, bradykinin, and histamine increased cell viability whereas thapsigargin decreased it. AC (25 microg/ml) pretreatment failed to alter ATP-induced increase in viability, potentiated bradykinin-induced increase in viability, decreased histamine-induced increase in viability and reversed thapsigargin-induced decrease in viability. Immunoblotting suggested that AC induced phosphorylation of ERK and JNK MAPKs, but not p38 MAPK. Collectively, for OC2 cells, AC exerted multiple effects on their viability and [Ca2+]i, induced their ERK and JNK MAPK phosphorylation, and probably evoked their apoptosis.

Effect of methoxychlor on Ca(2+) movement and viability in MDCK renal tubular cells.

The effect of the insecticide methoxychlor on the physiology of renal tubular cells is unknown. This study aimed to explore the effect of methoxychlor on cytosolic Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+) ](i) ) in MDCK renal tubular cells using the Ca(2+) -sensitive fluorescent dye fura-2. Methoxychlor at 5-20 µM increased [Ca(2+) ](i) in a concentration-dependent manner. The signal was reduced by 80% by removing extracellular Ca(2+) . Methoxychlor-induced Ca(2+) entry was not affected by nifedipine and SK&F96365 but was inhibited by econazole and protein kinase C modulators. In Ca(2+) -free medium, treatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitor thapsigargin or 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (BHQ) partly inhibited methoxychlor-induced [Ca(2+) ](i) rise. Incubation with methoxychlor also inhibited thapsigargin- or BHQ-induced [Ca(2+) ](i) rise. Inhibition of phospholipase C with U73122 nearly abolished methoxychlor-induced [Ca(2+) ](i) rise. At 5-15 µM, methoxychlor slightly increased cell viability, whereas at 20 µM, it decreased viability. The cytotoxic effect of methoxychlor was not reversed by chelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid/AM (BAPTA/AM). Annexin V-FITC data suggest that 10 µM methoxychlor inhibited apoptosis, while 20 µM methoxychlor enhanced apoptosis. Methoxychlor (10 and 20 µM) increased the production of reactive oxygen species. Together, in renal tubular cells, methoxychlor induced [Ca(2+) ](i) rise by inducing phospholipase C-dependent Ca(2+) release from multiple stores and Ca(2+) entry via protein kinase C- and econazole-sensitive channels. Methoxychlor slightly enhanced or inhibited cell viability in a concentration-dependent, Ca(2+) -independent manner. Methoxychlor induced cell death that may involve apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways.

Metabolic outcome for diabetes shared care program outpatients in a veterans hospital of southern Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the metabolic outcomes of the Diabetes Shared Care Program (DSCP) for Type 2 diabetes after completion of 1 year and 3 years of intervention. METHODS: Total 162 Type 2 diabetes (average age 67.14 years with 62.35% men and 37.65% women) in 2004 were referred to the diabetes educator for DSCP. Parameters related to diabetes among these patients were inquired, and biochemical data were compared before and after the DSCP by using SPSS 12.0 software. RESULTS: These patients had 3.1% emergency utilization rate and 1.9% hospitalization utilization rate; significant improvement in diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body weight after one year; and significant improvement in systolic blood pressure, DBP, body weight, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) levels after three years. But only 4.84% and 8.87% met all the A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-C target values after the 1- and 3-year interventions, respectively. CONCLUSION: The A1C, blood pressure, and LDL-C achievement rate of DSCP in our hospital is low. DSCP is suggestive to patients with lower duration of diabetes, high baseline A1C, systolic blood pressure, DBP, LDL-C, and low baseline high-density lipoproteins cholesterol levels. Furthermore public health efforts are needed to control risk factors for vascular disease among diabetes.

Tamoxifen-induced [Ca2+]i rises and Ca2+-independent cell death in human oral cancer cells.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of tamoxifen on cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) and cell viability in OC2 human oral cancer cells. [Ca(2+)](i) and cell viability were measured by using the fluorescent dyes fura-2 and WST-1, respectively. Tamoxifen at concentrations above 2 microM increased [Ca(2+)](i) in a concentration-dependent manner. The Ca(2+) signal was reduced partly by removing extracellular Ca(2+). The tamoxifen-induced Ca(2+) influx was sensitive to blockade of L-type Ca(2+) channel blockers but insensitive to the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 and protein kinase C modulators. In Ca(2+)-free medium, after pretreatment with 1 muM thapsigargin (an endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitor), tamoxifen-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rises were substantially inhibited; and conversely, tamoxifen pretreatment inhibited a part of thapsigargin-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rises. Inhibition of phospholipase C with 2 microM U73122 did not change tamoxifen-induced [Ca(2+)](i) rises. At concentrations between 10 and 50 microM tamoxifen killed cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The cytotoxic effect of 23 microM tamoxifen was not reversed by prechelating cytosolic Ca(2+) with BAPTA. Collectively, in OC2 cells, tamoxifen induced [Ca(2+)](i) rises, in a nongenomic manner, by causing Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum, and Ca(2+) influx from L-type Ca(2+) channels. Furthermore, tamoxifen-caused cytotoxicity was not via a preceding [Ca(2+)](i) rise.