BAPTA-AM decreases cellular pH, inhibits acidocalcisome acidification and autophagy in amino acid-starved T. brucei.

To investigate the role of Ca2+ signaling in starvation-induced autophagy in Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis, we used cell-permeant Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM and cell impermeant chelator EGTA, and examined the potential involvement of several intracellular Ca2+ signaling pathways in T. brucei autophagy. The results showed an unexpected effect of BAPTA-AM in decreasing cellular pH and inhibiting acidocalcisome acidification in starved cells. The implication of these results in the role of Ca2+ signaling and cellular/organellar pH in T. brucei autophagy is discussed.