The role of calcium in agonist-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol in mouse pancreas.

The effects of Ca2+ on agonist-stimulated hydrolysis of myo-[2-3H]inositol-labelled phosphatidylinositol in mouse pancreas in vitro, were studied. The increase in cytosol Ca2+ concentration produced by the ionophore A23187 did not stimulate the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol. Cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) stimulated the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol under conditions in which intracellular calcium stores were depleted. The breakdown of phosphatidylinositol was stimulated by bethanechol and CCK-8 in Ca2+ -free Krebs solution, and the addition of Ca2+ to the medium potentiated the effects of these agonists. Lanthanum significantly reduced bethanechol and CCK-8-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol in Krebs solution, but was without effect in Ca2+ -free Krebs solution. The results of this study support the proposal that hydrolysis does not occur as a result of Ca2+ mobilization and may be involved in Ca2+ gating in the pancreas.