Volatile anesthetics affect the morphology of rat glioma C6 cells via RhoA, ERK, and Akt activation.

Treatment of rat glioma C6 cells with the beta-receptor agonist isoproterenol induces a massive increase in cAMP. Concomitantly the cells change their morphology from a fibroblast-type to an astrocyte-like (stellated) cell shape. The stellated morphology can be completely reverted by thrombin and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P) but also to a certain extent by clinical concentrations of volatile anesthetics.

Halothane inhibits spontaneous calcium oscillations via adenosine A1 receptors.

Primary rat hippocampal neurons show spontaneous [Ca(2+)(i)]-oscillations in Mg(2+)-free medium, which depend on excitatory signal transmission by N-methyl-D-aspartate /[alpha]-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptors modulated by inhibitory [gamma]-amino-n-butyric acid type A receptors. Volatile anesthetics depress these oscillations by potentiating the inhibitory action of [gamma]-amino-n-butyric acid type A receptors, and as shown recently, indirectly by activation of adenosine A1-receptors. The purpose of this investigation was to study whether inactivation of adenosine A1-receptors can prevent the anesthetic-induced inhibition.

The volatile anesthetic isoflurane inhibits the histamine-induced Ca2+ influx in primary human endothelial cells.

Unlabelled: Although isoflurane is a known vasodilator, the mechanism of isoflurane-induced vasodilation is not clear. One of the most important systems in this context is the nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vasodilation. The activity of this system is regulated by the agonist-induced Ca(2+) influx rather than Ca(2+) release from internal stores.

Phorbol Ester Interferes with [3H]Norepinephrine Accumulation into Monolayers of PC 12 Cells by Stimulating the Release of Endogenous Norepinephrine.

In this study we have observed an inhibition of the [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) accumulation into rat phaeochromocytoma PC 12 cells by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), whereas a biologically inactive phorbol ester was without effect. The inhibition was no longer observed when the PC 12 cells were preincubated with 10 microM reserpine, which inhibits the uptake of norepinephrine into the storage vesicles. This suggested a role of the intact vesicles in the inhibitory phenomenon.