Capsaicin inhibits calmodulin-mediated oxidative burst in rat macrophages

In this study we seek to elucidate the interaction of capsaicin with the calmodulin mediated signal pathways in macrophages, by comparing its action on macrophage functions with a known calmodulin antagonist, fluphenazine. Kinetics of capsaicin uptake by macrophages (10(3) cells) revealed that a maximum of 200 microM capsaicin was taken up within 10 min. Ca2+ ionophore triggered generation of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by macrophages was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by fluphenazine (IC50, 20 microM and 12 microM, respectively) and also by capsaicin (IC50, 30 microM and 9 microM, respectively), suggesting an involvement of calmodulin in the regulation of NADPH oxidase. In vitro both fluphenazine and capsaicin inhibited Ca2(+)-Mg2+ ATPase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase from macrophages and this inhibition was reversed by exogenous addition of calmodulin. Fluorescence studies revealed a direct Ca2+ dependent interaction of capsaicin with calmodulin. From these results we suggest that capsaicin acts via calmodulin to inhibit stimulus-induced macrophage oxidative burst and also that calmodulin regulates the oxidative burst in macrophages.