Alteration of adipocyte calcium homeostasis by Escherichia coli endotoxin

The present study evaluated calcium homeostasis in rat adipocytes after either in vivo or in vitro exposure to Escherichia coli endotoxin. Fat cells from endotoxin-treated rats showed an enhanced uptake of 45Ca. In an attempt to differentiate between 45Ca binding to the cell surface and intracellular 45Ca accumulation, adipocytes were exposed to 5 mM LaCl3. The amount of 45Ca remaining associated with lanthanum-treated adipocytes was taken to be located intracellularly and was increased in adipocytes from endotoxin-treated rats. The amount of 45Ca displaced by lanthanum was also increased in adipocytes from endotoxin-treated rats. This suggested that the endotoxin-induced increase of 45Ca accumulation included both cell surface and intracellular binding sites. Compartmental analysis of the exchange kinetics of cell-associated 45Ca with 40Ca in the medium indicated a 77% increase in the size of the cell surface compartment of adipocytes from endotoxin-treated rats compared with controls. In addition, endotoxin treatment altered the flux of calcium from the cells to the medium. In vitro exposure of freshly prepared adipocytes to 250 or 750 micrograms endotoxin/ml did not produce a perturbation of adipocyte calcium homeostasis. The results indicate that endotoxin induces alterations in the ability of adipocytes to regulate calcium translocations, suggesting that some metabolic and hormonal aspects of endotoxins' actions may be mediated through perturbation of cellular calcium homeostasis.