Inhibition by propofol of intracellular calcium mobilization in cultured mouse pituitary cells.

Unlabelled: Propofol inhibited regulated secretion of the neuropeptide beta-endorphin from AtT-20 cells, a pituitary tumor cell line. Neuropeptide secretion depends on an increase of intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) levels. We investigated the hypothesis that propofol altered intracellular Ca(2+) levels in AtT-20 cells.