Intragranular pH rapidly modulates exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells

Several drugs produce rapid changes in the kinetics of exocytosis of catecholamines, as measured at the single event level with amperometry. This study is intended to unveil whether the mechanism(s) responsible for these effects involve changes in the intravesicular pH. Cell incubation with bafilomycin A1, a blocker of the vesicular proton pump, caused both a deceleration in the kinetics of exocytosis and a reduction in the catecholamine content of vesicle. These effects were also observed upon reduction of proton gradient by nigericin or NH4Cl. pH measurements using fluorescent probes (acridine orange, quinacrine or enhanced green fluorescent protein-synaptobrevin) showed a strong correlation between vesicular pH and the kinetics of exocytosis. Hence, all maneuvers tested that decelerated exocytosis also alkalinized secretory vesicles and vice versa. On the other hand, calcium entry caused a transient acidification of granules. We therefore propose that the regulation of vesicular pH is, at least partially, a necessary step in the modulation of the kinetics of exocytosis and quantal size operated by some cell signals.