Characteristics of catecholamine release from adrenal chromaffin cells cultured in medium containing ethanol--II. Carbachol and veratrine-induced release.

Dissociated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells were grown in culture either in control medium or in medium containing ethanol (200 mM) and the release of catecholamines induced by veratrine and carbachol was then studied. Cells grown in ethanol showed greater spontaneous release of catecholamines, but both carbachol and veratrine evoked release of a smaller maximum fraction of stored catecholamines than that from control cells. Spontaneous catecholamine release as well as that induced by veratrine were sensitive to inhibition by tetrodotoxin. Catecholamine release induced by veratrine could be prevented almost completely by the Ca2+ channel blocker cadmium, but not to any great extent by the organic dihydropyridine Ca2+ antagonist nitrendipine. Carbachol-induced catecholamine release was similarly resistant to inhibition by nitrendipine, but was inhibited by cadmium. The results suggest that cell cultures grown in ethanol-containing medium show many alterations in the characteristics of catecholamine release. Alterations in receptor- and voltage-operated ion channels in the membrane of ethanol-treated cells may underlie these changes.