Regulation of (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activity by calcitonin binding to rat liver plasma membranes

The plasma membranes isolated from rat liver bound 125I-labelled ([125I]) synthetic [Asu1,7]eel calcitonin (CT), with increasing concentrations of [125I]CT. This specific binding was completely saturated at a concentration of 0.5 nM CT. A high affinity Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase [(Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase] activity in the plasma membranes was significantly decreased by the presence of a very low concentration of CT (7.4 pM), although the hormone did not affect the activity of the plasma membrane 5'-nucleotidase. The concentration of CT needed for maximal inhibition of (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase in the plasma membranes was less than 0.74 nM. The plasma membranes washed with 10(-3)% digitonin did not show an inhibitory effect of CT on (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activity, while the reagent did not have a significant effect on the enzyme. These results suggest that the inhibition of (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activity may be part of the mechanism by which CT elevates cytosolic Ca2+ in liver cells.