Endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ depletion unmasks a caffeine-induced Ca2+ influx in human aortic endothelial cells

Intracellular Ca2+ pools contribute to changes in cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i), which play an important role in endothelial cell signaling. Recently, endothelial ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ stores were shown to regulate agonist-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ pools. Since caffeine binds the ryanodine Ca2+ release channel on the endoplasmic reticulum in a variety of cell types, we examined the effect of caffeine on [Ca2+]i in human aortic endothelial cell monolayers loaded with the fluorescent probe indo 1. Under baseline conditions, 10 mmol/L caffeine induced a small increase in [Ca2+]i from 86 +/- 10 to 115 +/- 17 nmol/L (mean +/- SEM); this effect was similar to that of 5 mumol/L ryanodine and was unaffected by buffer Ca2+ removal. After depletion of an intracellular Ca2+ store by the irreversible endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (1 mumol/L), ryanodine did not affect [Ca2+]i. In contrast, caffeine induced a large rapid increase in [Ca2+]i (176 +/- 19 to 338 +/- 35 nmol/L, P < .001) after thapsigargin exposure; this effect of caffeine was only observed when extracellular Ca2+ was present. A similar increase in [Ca2+]i was induced by caffeine after depletion of ryanodine- and histamine-sensitive Ca2+ stores or after pretreatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid (10 mumol/L). Thus, under baseline conditions the effect of caffeine on [Ca2+]i is similar to that of ryanodine and appears to be due to the release of an intracellular store. However, after depletion of an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store, caffeine, but not ryanodine, stimulates Ca2+ influx, resulting in a large increase in [Ca2+]i.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)