Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulates Ca2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells through inhibition of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase
Calcium is a key mediator of hormone-induced enzyme secretion in pancreatic acinar cells. At the same time, abnormal Ca2+ responses are associated with pancreatitis. We have recently shown that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) by LY-294002 and wortmannin, as well as genetic deletion of PI3-kinase-γ, regulates Ca2+ responses and the Ca2+-sensitive trypsinogen activation in pancreatic acinar cells. The present study sought to determine the mechanisms of PI3-kinase involvement in Ca2+ responses induced in these cells by CCK and carbachol. The PI3-kinase inhibitors inhibited both Ca2+ influx and mobilization from intracellular stores induced by stimulation of acini with physiological and pathological concentrations of CCK, as well as with carbachol. PI3-kinase inhibition facilitated the decay of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) oscillations observed in individual acinar cells. The PI3-kinase inhibitors decreased neither CCK-induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins( 1 , 4 , 5 )P3] production nor Ins( 1 , 4 , 5 )P3-induced Ca2+ mobilization, suggesting that the effect of PI3-kinase inhibition is not through Ins( 1 , 4 , 5 )P3 or Ins( 1 , 4 , 5 )P3 receptors. PI3-kinase inhibition did not affect Ca2+ mobilization induced by thapsigargin, a specific inhibitor of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA). Moreover, SERCA blockade with thapsigargin abolished the effects of pharmacological and genetic PI3-kinase inhibition on [Ca2+]i signals, suggesting SERCA as a downstream target of PI3-kinase. Both pharmacological PI3-kinase inhibition and genetic deletion of PI3-kinase-γ increased the amount of Ca2+ in intracellular stores during CCK stimulation. Finally, addition of the PI3-kinase product phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate to permeabilized acini significantly attenuated Ca2+ reloading into the endoplasmic reticulum. The results indicate that PI3-kinase regulates Ca2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells through its inhibitory effect on SERCA.