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Mononuclear leucocyte intracellular free calcium--does it correlate with blood pressure?

A C Shore, G W Beynon, J C Jones

    Journal of Hypertension
    |April 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Hypertension may not involve increased cytosolic calcium in white blood cells, despite higher cell sodium. The sodium-calcium exchange appears to play a minimal role in these cells, suggesting other mechanisms are at play in hypertension.

    Area of Science:

    • Cardiovascular Physiology
    • Cellular Biology
    • Hypertension Research

    Background:

    • Previous studies suggest abnormalities in calcium transport in hypertensive subjects.
    • Increased total cell sodium in white blood cells of hypertensive individuals has been reported.
    • Blaustein's hypothesis proposed increased cytosolic calcium in vascular smooth muscle cells via reduced Na-Ca exchange in hypertension.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate whether cytosolic calcium levels are elevated in mononuclear leucocytes of hypertensive subjects.
    • To assess the role of the sodium-calcium exchange in regulating cytosolic calcium in these cells.

    Main Methods:

    • Measurement of cytosolic calcium in mononuclear leucocytes using the fluorescent indicator quin 2.
    • Analysis of cells from 22 hypertensive and 19 normotensive subjects.
    • Incubation with ouabain to assess the impact on 86 rubidium uptake and cytosolic calcium.

    Main Results:

    • No significant difference in mononuclear leucocyte cytosolic calcium was observed between hypertensive and normotensive groups.
    • Ouabain treatment significantly reduced 86 rubidium uptake but did not alter cytosolic calcium levels.
    • These results indicate a minimal role for the sodium-calcium exchange in mononuclear leucocytes.

    Conclusions:

    • The sodium-calcium exchange does not appear to significantly contribute to cytosolic calcium regulation in mononuclear leucocytes.
    • The lack of increased cytosolic calcium in hypertension, despite elevated total cell sodium, may be explained by the limited function of the Na-Ca exchange in these cells.

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