Background and purpose: Although Ca2+ signaling may stimulate small intestinal ion secretion, little is known about its critical role and the molecular mechanisms of Ca2+-mediated biological action.
Key results: Activation of muscarinic receptors by carbachol(CCh) stimulated mouse duodenal Isc, which was significantly inhibited in Ca2+-free serosal solution and by several selective store-operated Ca2+ channels(SOC) blockers added to the serosal side of duodenal tissues. Furthermore, we found that CRAC/Orai channels may represent the molecular candidate of SOC in intestinal epithelium. CCh increased intracellular Ca2+ but not cAMP, and Ca2+ signaling mediated duodenal Cl- and HCO3- secretion in wild type mice but not in CFTR knockout mice. CCh induced duodenal ion secretion and stimulated PI3K/Akt activity in duodenal epithelium, all of which were inhibited by selective PI3K inhibitors with different structures. CCh-induced Ca2+ signaling also stimulated the phosphorylation of CFTR proteins and their trafficking to the plasma membrane of duodenal epithelial cells, which were inhibited again by selective PI3K inhibitors.
Materials and methods: Functional, biochemical and morphological experiments were performed to examine ion secretion, PI3K/Akt and CFTR activity of mouse duodenal epithelium. Ca2+ imaging was performed on HT-29 cells.
Conclusions and implications: Ca2+ signaling plays a critical role in intestinal ion secretion via CRAC/Orai-mediated SOCE mechanism on the serosal side of epithelium. We also demonstrated the molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ signaling in CFTR-mediated secretion via novel PI3K/Akt pathway. Our findings suggest new perspectives for drug targets to protect the upper GI tract and control liquid homeostasis in the small intestine.
Keywords: Ca2+ signaling; SOCE; carbachol; duodenal epithelial ion transports.