Cytosolic free calcium in normal somatotropes: effects of forskolin and phorbol ester.

Digital imaging microscopy using the calcium-sensitive indicator probe fura-2 was combined with a reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA) for growth hormone (GH) secretion. This technique allows dynamic measurements of the cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in individual pituitary somatotropes. Stimulation by growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) increases, whereas somatostatin (SRIF) reduces [Ca2+]i in this cell type. [Ca2+]i increased in somatotropes when the cellular content of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) was elevated by 1) activating cellular adenylate cyclase with forskolin (5 microM) and 2) treatment with the cAMP-analogues dibutyryl-cAMP (1 mM) or 8-bromo-cAMP (5 mM). The forskolin-induced calcium rise was abolished in the absence of extracellular calcium. This indicates that cAMP increases the influx of calcium into the cytosol and thereby stimulates hormone release. When forskolin was given in combination with SRIF (10 nM), [Ca2+]i decreased to the same level reached with SRIF treatment alone, indicating a site of action distal to the generation of cAMP. Activating protein kinase C with the phorbol ester 12,13-phorbol dibutyrate (PDB; 100 nM) increased [Ca2+]i as well. Again, this effect was dependent on extracellular calcium and blocked when PDB and SRIF were applied simultaneously. Combined stimulation with GRF plus PDB did not augment the response of [Ca2+]i over GRF treatment alone.