Polygodial induces inositol phosphate turnover in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.

The pungent sesquiterpenoid unsaturated dialdehydes polygodial and isovelleral, have previously been shown to increase the intracellular free calcium concentration [Ca2+]i in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, partly by a release from intracellular Ca2+ stores, whereas the non-pungent compound epipolygodial, had no effect on the [Ca2+]i. In this study, we investigated the effect of isovelleral, polygodial and epipolygodial on inositol phosphate (IP) formation on the assumption that there might be a correlation between the release of intracellular Ca2+ and pungency of the compounds. It was found that polygodial induced IP mobilization in a concentration dependent way, whereas isovelleral had no effect on the IP formation in the SH-SY5Y cells. Phosphoinositide (PPI) turnover was activated by epipolygodial, but only at concentrations 40-fold higher than for polygodial, which emphasizes the importance of the correct stereometry in the dialdehyde configuration for the biological activity of polygodial. The polygodial-induced formation of IP1 was reduced by 71% under extracellular calcium-free conditions, which suggests feedback interactions between the IP formation and the increase in [Ca2+]i to account for a periodic activation of phospholipase C(PLC).