Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Histones and basic polypeptides activate Ca2+/cation influx in various cell types

A Gamberucci1, R Fulceri, P Marcolongo

  • 1Institute of General Pathology, University of Siena, 53100-Siena, Italy.

The Biochemical Journal
|June 11, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Cationic proteins like Histone H2A trigger calcium influx and cell depolarization by activating non-selective ion channels. This effect is cell-specific and can be modulated by polyanions.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Near infrared thermometry of carbon dioxide and water using chemometric methods.

Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy·2026
Same author

Risk of TB disease in individuals with cancer.

IJTLD open·2025
Same author

Golimumab improves health-related quality of life of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis: Results of the go-care study.

Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver·2023
Same author

Influence of natural seawater variables on the corrosion behaviour of aluminium-magnesium alloy.

Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2022
Same author

Patterns and characteristics of TB among key risk groups in Canada, 1993-2018.

The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease·2022
Same author

Quality of endoscopic screening for colorectal cancer in Italy: A national survey.

Digestive and liver disease : official journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver·2022

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Ion Channel Physiology

Background:

  • Histone H2A is a core component of chromatin.
  • The role of extracellular histone proteins in cell signaling is an area of active research.
  • Understanding how extracellular proteins interact with cell membranes is crucial for cell physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of Histone H2A on cell membrane potential and ion transport.
  • To identify the mechanisms underlying Histone H2A-induced cellular responses.
  • To determine the cell-type specificity of Histone H2A interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Ehrlich ascites cell suspensions were treated with Histone H2A.
  • Calcium (Ca2+) influx and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization were measured.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Plasma membrane depolarization and sodium (Na+) influx were assessed in Ca2+-free and Ca2+-replete media.
  • The effects of lanthanum (La3+), gadolinium (Gd3+), basic polypeptides, and polyanions were evaluated.
  • Experiments were conducted on various cell lines including Jurkat, PC12, Friend erythroleukaemia cells, rat hepatocytes, and thymocytes.

    • Main Results:

    • Histone H2A promoted Ca2+ influx but not intracellular Ca2+ mobilization.
    • It induced plasma membrane depolarization and Na+ influx in Ca2+-free conditions, which were reversible upon Ca2+ readmission.
    • Other cations like Ba2+ and Mn2+ also entered the cells, but large molecules like propidium+ did not.
    • These effects were blocked by La3+ and Gd3+ but not by typical calcium channel inhibitors.
    • The effects were mimicked by other basic polypeptides and reversed by polyanions.
    • Responses varied significantly across different cell types.

    Conclusions:

    • Cationic proteins, including Histone H2A, can activate non-selective Ca2+ channels and induce membrane depolarization.
    • These interactions are cell-surface mediated and exhibit cell-type specificity.
    • The findings suggest a novel mechanism for extracellular cationic protein signaling.