Abstract
Effects of cocaine on intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca 2+] i) in cultured canine cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells were studied using digital imaging microscopy and the calcium molecular fluorescent indicator, fura-2. Acute treatment of cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells with cocaine HCl, from a low concentration of 10 −9 M up to 10 −5 M, induced significant increases of [Ca 2+] i. Irrespective of the changes in [Ca 2+] i, the subcellular distribution of [Ca 2+] i appeared heterogeneous in both normal and cocaine-treated cells. These results suggest that cocaine induces cerebral vasospasm by a rapid elevation of [Ca 2+] i in vascular smooth muscle cells; these ionic events could play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cocaine-induced cerebral ischemia and stroke.
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