[Ca²⁺]i‐ and insulin‐stimulating effect of the non‐membranepermeable phosphatase‐inhibitor microcystin‐LR in intact insulin‐secreting cells (RINm5F)

Microcystin-LR, a specific and effective inhibitor of serine/threonine phosphatases type 1/2A which does not permeate cells, was used to distinguish intracellular and extracellular effects of phosphatase inhibitors on insulin secretion by RINm5F cells. 2. Incubation of intact RINm5F cells with microcystin-LR (0.1 - 2 microM) almost doubled basal insulin release at 3 mM glucose but left maximal insulin release induced by KCl (30 mM) unaffected. 3. In parallel, there was an increase in cytosolic Ca(2+) by up to half maximum, which could be suppressed by the Ca(2+)-channel blocker D600. 4. In contrast, microcystin-LR incubation of intact cells did not affect phosphatase activity but significantly reduced phosphatase activity when used in cellular fractions. 5. From these data we conclude that microcystin-LR could affect Ca(2+)-channels and insulin release by inhibiting an extracellular phosphatase-like activity.