Abstract
The mammalian canonical transient receptor channels (TRPCs) are considered to be candidates for store‐operated calcium channels (SOCCs). Many studies have addressed how TRPC3 channels are affected by depletion of intracellular calcium stores. Conflicting results have been shown for TRPC3 regarding its function, and this has been linked to its level of expression in various systems. In the present study, we have investigated how overexpression of TRPC3 interferes with the regulation of intracellular calcium stores. We demonstrate that overexpression of TRPC3 reduces the mobilization of calcium in response to stimulation of the cells with thapsigargin (TG) or the G‐protein coupled receptor agonist sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P). Our results indicate that this is the result of the expression of TRPC3 channels in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), thus depleting ER calcium stores. OAG evoked calcium entry in cells overexpressing TRPC3, indicating that functional TRPC3 channels were also expressed in the plasma membrane. Taken together, our results show that overexpression of the putative SOCC, TRPC3, actually reduces the calcium content of intracellular stores, but does not enhance agonist‐evoked or store‐dependent calcium entry. Our results may, in part, explain the conflicting results obtained in previous studies on the actions of TRPC3 channels. J. Cell. Physiol. 216: 245–252, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.