Protein kinase C-dependent activation of a myelin basic protein kinase by gastrin-releasing peptide in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts

Addition of gastrin releasing peptide to serum-starved Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblasts results in a transient appearance of a myelin basic protein-kinase activity in cytosolic extracts. Increased kinase activity is also observed upon stimulation of cells with bradykinin, epidermal growth factor or 4 beta-phorbol dibutyrate. Chromatographic analysis of the cytosolic extracts show that both gastrin-releasing peptide and 4 beta-phorbol dibutyrate induce the appearance of a kinase activity similar to that induced by epidermal growth factor. The response to gastrin-releasing peptide is abolished by down-regulation of protein kinase C and attenuated by acute inhibition of protein kinase C using staurosporine. The effect of epidermal growth factor was also suppressed under these conditions, albeit to a lesser extent. The results indicate (1) that activation of myelin basic protein kinase(s) may be common to different growth factors, and (2) that protein kinase C may participate in this response, at least in the case of gastrin-releasing peptide.