Gastrin release from dispersed gastrinoma cells: effects of calcium and calcium ionophore (A23187).

Dispersed single-cell suspensions of human gastrinoma tissue were incubated for 15, 60, and 120 min in a calcium-containing medium, (0.1, 2, 10 mM) in calcium-free medium and in calcium-free medium containing the calcium ionophore A23187 (0.01, 1, and 100 micrograms/ml). Supernatant and pellet (intracellular) gastrin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. Supernatant gastrin levels remained stable over 120 min in calcium chloride or calcium gluconate containing medium, while intracellular pellet gastrin approximately tripled during the same incubation period. Total gastrin (supernatant plus pellet) approximately doubled during the 2-hr incubation in calcium. However, calcium (0.1, 2, or 10 mM) failed to produce a dose-dependent rise in supernatant, pellet, or total gastrin when compared to calcium-free incubates. Contrary to the expected gastrin response to calcium, supernatant and pellet gastrin levels were higher in incubates in calcium-free medium than in calcium-containing incubates. A23187 (0.01 or 1 mcg/ml) in a calcium-free medium decrease supernatant gastrin while high dose ionophore (100 mcg/ml) increased supernatant gastrin. All doses of ionophore stimulated pellet and total gastrin levels. Thus, it appears that the clinical augmentation of gastrin levels, seen with calcium challenge in vivo may not be solely due to changes in serum calcium.