Expression of the calcium sensing receptor in human peripheral blood T lymphocyte and its contribution to cytokine secretion through MAPKs or NF-κB pathways

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been reported to play an important role in many tissues and organs. However, studies about the expression and function of CaSR in T lymphocytes are still not very lucid. In this study, we investigated the above-mentioned issues using RT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and the ELISA techniques. We found that the CaSR protein was expressed, and mainly located in the membrane in the normal human peripheral blood T lymphocytes. GdCl3 (an agonist of CaSR) increased the dose-dependency of the CaSR expression, which was abolished by NPS2390 (an inhibitor of CaSR). GdCl3 and Ca2+ increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 (one subgroup of MAPKs) and P65 (subunit of NF-κB),but, they had no significant effects on the JNK and P38 subgroups of MAPKs. Meantime, GdCl3 and Ca2+ stimulated both the IL-6 and TNF-β releases and their mRNA expressions. However, these effects of GdCl3 and Ca2+ were inhibited by NPS2390, U0126 (MAPKs pathway inhibitor) or Bay-11-7082 (NF-κB pathway inhibitor). These results suggested that CaSR was functionally expressed in the T cells, and the activated CaSR contributed to the cytokine secretion through the partial MAPK and NF-κB pathways.

► We found that the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) was expressed in the normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes. ► CaSR activation elicited an elevation in the expression and secretion of IL6, TNF-β. ► CaSR activation increased the phosphorylation of xtracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and P65. ► These effects were reverted by MAPKs and NF-κB pathway inhibitors.