Homologous and heterologous desensitisation of somatostatin-induced increases in intracellular Ca2+ and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in CHO-K1 cells expressing human recombinant somatostatin sst5 receptors.

The mechanisms responsible for somatostatin (SRIF)-induced increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and subsequent desensitisation were studied in CHO-K1 cells expressing human sst5 receptors (CHOsst5 cells). To study the nature of the desensitisation, interactions with uridine triphosphate (UTP) were examined. SRIF (pEC50 7.10) and UTP (pEC50) 5.14) caused concentration-dependent increases in [Ca2+]i but the SRIF maximum was about 40% of that to UTP. SRIF-, but not UTP-, induced increases in [Ca2+]i were transient and abolished by pertussis toxin. SRIF and UTP caused sustained increases in Ins(1,4,5)P3 but the SRIF maximum was about 30% of that to UTP. Removal of [Ca2+]e attenuated the SRIF-induced peak rise in [Ca2+]i but had no effect on the peak increases in Ins(1,4,5)P3. UTP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i and Ins(1,4,5)P3 were attenuated in the absence of [Ca2+]e. Following pre-exposure to SRIF (1 microM) or UTP (100 microM) for 5 min, subsequent SRIF responses were desensitised. Similar results were obtained in the absence of [Ca2+]e. Pre-exposure to SRIF had no effect on subsequent responses to UTP but in the absence of [Ca2+]e, responses to UTP were attenuated. The results suggest that SRIF but not UTP-induced increases in [Ca2+]i in CHOsst5 cells are mediated by pertussis toxin sensitive G proteins and are caused by an entry of extracellular Ca2+ and release from an Ins(1,4,5)P3 sensitive Ca2+ store. Homologous or heterologous desensitisation of agonist-induced increases in [Ca2+]i could be demonstrated in the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+ respectively, and the latter appeared to involve depletion of a common intracellular Ca2+ store.