Actions of ionomycin in rat parotid gland.

The effects of ionomycin (SQ 23,377), a carboxylic acid Ca-ionophore, on the rat parotid acinar cell were investigated. Ionomycin stimulated 86Rb efflux from parotid slices and was substantially more potent and efficacious than the Ca-ionophore, A-23187. The release of 86Rb was dependent on the concentration of ionomycin and of Ca. Ionomycin also stimulated 22Na uptake and 3H-protein secretion, but did not stimulate the incorporation of 32PO4 into phosphatidylinositol. These observations are consistent with an action of ionomycin in increasing cytosolic Ca by acting as an ionophore and not involving endogenous receptors. Pretreatment with ionomycin inhibited the transient, Ca-independent responses to carbachol or physalaemin. When ionomycin was added to parotid cells pre-equilibrated with 45Ca, a net loss of radiocalcium was observed. These observations suggest that ionomycin can release the receptor-regulated cellular Ca pool. Morphological studies did not reveal any nonspecific deleterious effects in the cells after incubation with 2.67 microM ionomycin.