The effect of 17beta-estradiol on intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations ([Ca(2+)](i)) in Madin Darby canine kidney cells was investigated by using the fluorescent dye fura-2. 17Beta-estradiol (5-100 micromol/l) induced instantaneous increases in [Ca(2+)](i) in a concentration-dependent manner. Ca(2+) removal inhibited 45 +/- 15% of the Ca(2+) signal. In Ca(2+)-free medium, pretreatment with 50 micromol/l 17beta-estradiol abolished the [Ca(2+)](i) increases induced by 2 micromol/l carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP; a mitochondrial uncoupler), 1 micromol/l thapsigargin (an endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump inhibitor) and 50 micromol/l brefeldin A (an antibiotic which disperses the Golgi complex), but pretreatment with brefeldin A, CCCP and thapsigargin only partly inhibited the 17beta-estradiol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) signal. Adding 3 mmol/l Ca(2+) increased [Ca(2+)](i) in cells pretreated with 5-100 micromol/l 17beta-estradiol in Ca(2+)-free medium. Pretreatment with 1 micromol/l U73122 to abolish the formation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate inhibited 50% of the Ca(2+) release induced by 50 micromol/l 17beta-estradiol. 17Beta-estradiol (20 micromol/l) also increased [Ca(2+)](i) in human bladder cancer cells and prostate cancer cells. Collectively, this study shows that 17beta-estradiol evoked a significant internal Ca(2+) release and external Ca(2+) entry possibly in a nongenomic manner.
Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel