| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4351126 | Neuroscience Letters | 2006 | 5 Pages |
In this study, we investigated agents that increased intracellular calcium levels and their correlation with apoptotic cell death induction. We used rat astrocytes to investigate the increase in cytosolic Ca2+ (Cac2+) and apoptosis induction by drugs that mobilize Ca2+ from different sources. We observed that thapsigargin (Thap), caffeine (Caff) and FCCP which caused similar increases in Cac2+ levels (30–40%), also induced similar apoptotic rates (30–35%). On the other hand, antimycin (Anti), staurosporine (STS) and ethanol (Eth) promoted higher increases in Cac2+ (55–65 %) and higher apoptotic rates (55–85%). Eth induced cell death in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. After treatment with Eth plus Caff for 6, 12 and 24 h, these effects were strongly potentiated. Results suggest that there might be a correlation between Cac2+ increase and the rate of apoptosis. It is possible that Eth induces cell death by activation of more than one pathway and Ca2+ might be one of the elements involved. The present work indicates that Ca2+ can potentiate death by ethanol in rat astrocytes.
