Abstract
The effect of Escherichia coli heat-stable (ST) enterotoxin on calcium and cyclic nucleotide metabolism in rat basophilic leukemia cell cultures was investigated. Addition of ST enterotoxin to rat basophilic leukemia cell cultures resulted in dose- and time-dependent stimulation of calcium uptake and elevation of the intracellular cyclic GMP (cGMP) concentration. The effect of ST enterotoxin on calcium uptake (P less than 0.02) and cGMP synthesis (P less than 0.02) was demonstrated after 5 and 30 min of incubation at 37 degrees C, respectively. In further studies ST enterotoxin did not enhance calcium release or the intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP. The stimulation of calcium uptake and cGMP synthesis by ST enterotoxin was inhibited by pharmacological and chemical agents which block cellular calcium entry and prostaglandin synthesis. These results demonstrate that ST enterotoxin induces calcium uptake and cGMP synthesis in rat basophilic leukemia cell cultures.