tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced [Ca2+]i increase in thymus and thymoma cells

The effect of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) on Ca2+ homeostasis in tumor thymocytes in comparison to normal thymus cells has been studied. t-BOOH induces an early Ca2+ increase which shows different kinetic and extent in normal and tumor thymocytes. However, evidence is reported that in both types of cells it is just an epiphenomenon not directly related to late injury event. The different effects of various compounds (EGTA, dithiothreitol, deferoxamine and glucose) on the early Ca2+ increase and the late LDH release induced by t-BOOH suggest the occurrence, only in tumor cells, of some undefined deleterious process related to Ca2+ movements.