Neuropeptide Y elevates intracellular Ca2+ and evokes noradrenaline release in SH-SY5Y cells.

Exposure of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells to 300 nM neuropeptide Y (NPY) or 1 microM muscarine separately failed to evoke release of [3H]noradrenaline ([3H]NA). Both agonists, however, induced a modest rise in [Ca2+]i. When NPY and muscarine were applied simultaneously, the rise in [Ca2+]i was greater than the sum of the rises of either agonist applied alone, and also evoked [3H]NA release, NPY evoked a rise in [Ca2+]i when applied during prolonged exposure to muscarine, although the peak level of [Ca2+]i was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that reached following simultaneous application, and [3H]NA release was not stimulated. Simultaneous exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to muscarine and NPY thus induces a greater than additive rise in [Ca2+]i exceeding a critical level required to evoke [3H]NA release.