Normalizing effect of Ca2+ ionophore on cytoplasmic Ca2+ and parathyroid hormone release of dispersed parathyroid cells from patients with hyperparathyroidism

The effects of the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 on parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion and cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+i) were measured at different extracellular Ca2+ concentrations using dispersed cells from patients with hyperparathyroidism (HPT). The addition of a low concentration of the Ca2+ ionophore to quin2-loaded cell preparations resulted in the apparent normalization of calcium-regulated Ca2+i. At all extracellular calcium concentrations Ca2+i reached significantly higher values in the presence of the ionophore and the dose-response relationship was shifted to, the left. Under similar conditions calcium-regulated PTH release was correspondingly corrected with an increased suppressibility and left-shifted dose-response relationship. The data render strong support for a disturbed regulation of Ca2+i as a major factor in the pathophysiology of HPT.