Effect of sevoflurane on Ca2+ mobilization in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells

We investigated the effect of the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane on Ca2+ signaling in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by using the fluorescent dye fura-2/AM (1-2-(5-carboxyoxazol-2-yl)-6-aminobenzofuran-5-oxy]-2-(2'-amino-5'-methylphenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid pentaace-toxymethyl ester) as the Ca2+ indicator. At a concentration of 0.15 mM, sevoflurane did not alter basal cytosolic free calcium concentration (Ca2+]i); however, at concentrations of 0.45-0.6 mM, sevoflurane did elevate Ca2+]i, mainly by releasing Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) store. Sevoflurane (0.15 mM) did not change either the Ca2+]i peak evoked by high doses of ATP or UTP or inhibition of the ER Ca2+ pump, although it did significantly slow down the decay of the Ca2+]i rise. Lastly, sevoflurane inhibited the capacitative Ca2+ entry and Mn2+ quench of fura-2 fluorescence induced by Ca(2+)-mobilizing ligands.