Activation of store-operated Ca2+ entry in RBL cells without the contribution of protein kinases

The role of protein kinases on store-operated Ca2+ entry in rat basophilic leukaemia cells (RBL) has been studied using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique and Ca2+ imaging with fura-2. Specific inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (lavendustin A), mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (SB 203580, PD 98059), Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaMK, KN-62, KN-93) and protein kinase C (PKC, bisindolylmaleimide I) had no significant effect on peak current amplitude and time constant of activation. Likewise, the broad spectrum kinase blockers H-7 and staurosporine did not alter Ca2+ entry compared to control recordings. Store-mediated Ca2+ entry was unaffected if intracellular ATP was substituted by either adenosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADPbetaS) or adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP). Similarly, buffering intracellular Mg2+, an essential cofactor for protein kinases, had no effect on Ca2+ influx. These results indicate that protein phosphorylation by various kinases is not required for the activation of the store-operated Ca2+ current in RBL cells.