Transfected parvalbumin alters calcium homeostasis in teratocarcinoma PCC7 cells

Indirect evidence supports a protective role of some EF-hand calcium-binding proteins against calcium-induced neurotoxicity. Little is known about how these proteins influence cytosolic calcium levels. After cloning the parvalbumin cDNA into an expression vector, teratocarcinoma cells (PCC7) were transfected. Parvalbumin-transfected and mock-transfected cells were loaded with the calcium indicator fura-2 and were exposed, in the same dish, to different concentrations of the calcium ionophore A23187 or to KCI. The results show that parvalbumin-transfected PCC7 cells had much better calcium buffering capacity than control cells.