Calcium thresholds in the activation of DNA and RNA synthesis in cultured planarian cells: relationship with hormonal and DB cAMP effects.

DNA and RNA syntheses were reduced to a basal level in dissociated planarian cells grown for 48 h in a Ca2+-free medium. These syntheses could be triggered anew by raising the Ca2+ concentration in the medium. Serotonin could be substituted for Ca2+ in stimulating DNA synthesis by Ca2+-depleted cells, while dopamine greatly enhanced RNA synthesis in these cells. When Ca2+ concentration was raised in hormone-treated cultures, DNA synthesis was again slightly increased but RNA synthesis was depressed. Both hormonal effects were completely inhibited by the anticalmodulin drug trifluoperazine. As serotonin and dopamine are both known to stimulate the adenylate cyclase system, it was further investigated whether the hormonal effects were mediated by cAMP. Indeed, a DB cAMP concentration of 1 microM increased DNA labelling when applied for 8 h to Ca2+-depleted cultures. However, when Ca2+ was present, the 8-h treatment with 1 microM DB cAMP was inhibiting. A 4-h pulse with 1 microM DB cAMP just after Ca2+ addition was a condition for a high stimulation of DNA labelling. The other DB cAMP concentrations used, 0.1 and 10 microM, reduced DNA labelling. In the absence of Ca2+, RNA labelling was only slightly increased by 0.1 microM DB cAMP, but was highly stimulated by a 4-h treatment of 1 microM DB cAMP in the presence of Ca2+. The noted effects with 1 or 0.1 microM DB cAMP on DNA or RNA labelling corresponded to true changes in synthesis rather than alterations of the specific activity of the nucleotide pool by DB cAMP. Besides, it was precluded that these effects were due to butyrate issued from DB cAMP degradation. It was further shown that DB cAMP at 1 microM increased Ca2+ uptake in planarian cells, whereas the other concentration reduced it. This observation might explain the stimulating effect on nucleic acid synthesis of 1 microM DB cAMP applied at the appropriate moment. Based on these results it seems that, for triggering RNA synthesis, the threshold value of Ca2+ was lower than for DNA synthesis. These Ca2+ thresholds might be reached, in the absence of Ca2+ in the medium, by treatments with DB cAMP or hormones at the appropriate doses and periods. This interpretation is in agreement with the succession of biochemical events described in regenerating planarians and suggests that these events might be causally related.