The effects of Alzheimer's disease-related amyloidogenic peptides on inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated Ca(2+) mobilization were examined in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Intracellular Ca(2+) was monitored by electrophysiological measurement of the endogenous Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) current. Application of a hyperpolarizing pulse released intracellular Ca(2+) in oocytes primed by pre-injection of a non-metabolizable inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate analogue. The carboxyl terminus of the amyloid precursor protein inhibited inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated intracellular Ca(2+) release in a dose-dependent manner. Equimolar beta-amyloid peptides Abeta(1-40) or Abeta(1-42) had no effect, and whereas a truncated carboxyl terminus lacking the Abeta domain was equipotent to the full-length one, a carboxyl terminus fragment lacking the NPTY sequence was less effective than the full-length fragment. The inhibition induced by the carboxyl terminus was not associated with the block of the Ca(2+)-dependent Cl(-) channel itself or compromised Ca(2+) influx. We conclude that the carboxyl terminus of the amyloid precursor protein inhibits inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca(2+) release and could thus disrupt Ca(2+) homeostasis and that the carboxyl terminus is much more effective than the beta-amyloid fragments used. By perturbing the coupling of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and Ca(2+) release, the carboxyl terminus of the amyloid precursor protein can potentially be involved in inducing the neural toxicity characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.