Tumor promoting phorbol diesters: substrates for diacylglycerol lipase

Enzyme activity in rat serum was examined utilizing the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and various glycerolipids as substrates. The serum activity was specific for hydrolysis of the long chain tetradecanoate moiety of TPA, hydrolyzed mono- and diacylglycerols, but was not effective against triacylglycerols, cholesterylesters, or phospholipids. Heating the enzyme preparation at 56 degrees C for 1 min was dually effective in reducing the hydrolysis of both TPA and dioleoylglycerol by 83-86% of control levels. The potent diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor, RHC 80267, inhibited the hydrolysis of TPA in the 0.2-1.0 microM range and was also a potent blocker of monoacyl- and diacylglycerol hydrolysis. In substrate competition studies, exogenous unlabeled TPA was added to the [14C]dioleoylglycerol-containing reaction mixture, however, this produced an approximate 3-fold stimulation of [14]dioleoylglycerol hydrolysis. Although we have not established whether the hydrolysis of TPA and diacylglycerol is the work of one enzyme, the effectiveness of the specific lipase inhibitor, RHC 80267, demonstrates that diacylglycerol lipase can utilize TPA as substrate, a finding never before documented. This point is of interest in light of the theory that phorbol esters act by mimicry of the natural lipid mediator, diacylglycerols.     

Tumor promoter chloroform is a potent protein kinase C activator

The major interaction site for tumor-promoting phorbol esters is the calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), a key-element in signal transduction. Binding of phorbol esters results in enzyme activation which mediates, at least in part, the action of these agents. We have investigated the effects of tumor promoter chloroform on protein kinase C activity. Like thrombin and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), chloroform was able to activate protein kinase C in intact rabbit platelets. In addition, chloroform stimulated enzyme activity as well as TPA binding capacity in cell-free system. Scatchard analysis of the data has shown that chloroform increased the number of phorbol ester binding sites. Structurally related compounds, carbon tetrachloride and methylene chloride, activated the enzyme similarly.     

The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate and regulatory diacylglycerols are substrates for the same carboxylesterase

Rat liver homogenate or cell fractions deacylate 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) in vitro mainly by conversion to phorbol 13-acetate. The highest specific activity is located in the microsomal fraction. The deacylation is inhibited by bis-(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate, a selective inhibitor of nonspecific carboxylesterases. Only two of five purified esterases from rat liver endoplasmic reticulum deacylate TPA. These two esterases have formerly been characterized as acylcarnitine hydrolases and the more active one is also a potent diacylglycerol lipase. Its TPA-hydrolyzing activity is inhibited by other substrates like 1-naphthylacetate, lauroylcarnitine, or dioleoyl glycerol. The results support the view that phorbol esters act like structural analogs of diacylglycerols, not only with respect to their activating effect on protein kinase C, but also as substrates for the same lipases.     

Acute effects of tumor-promoting phorbol esters on hepatic intermediary metabolism

In hepatocytes isolated from meal-fed rats, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate as well as phorbol 12,13-didecanoate stimulated de novo fatty acid synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate inhibited ketogenesis from exogenous oleate, but slightly enhanced oleate esterification. The stimulation of esterification was more pronounced with endogenously synthesized fatty acids. In hepatocytes from 24h-starved rats a moderate stimulation of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis was observed with glutamine as substrate. It is concluded that tumor-promoting phorbol esters mimick the short-term effects of insulin on hepatic fatty acid metabolism.     

Inhibition of Starfish Oocyte Maturation by Tumor-Promoting Phorbol Esters*

Effect of tumor promoters including phorbol esters and teleocidin on 1-methyladenine (1-MeAde)-induced oocyte maturation was studied in the starfish. When isolated immature oocytes were treated with 1-MeAde and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), 1-MeAde-induced maturation was completely inhibited at more than 2.5 μg/ml. However, if TPA was added after the hormone-dependent period (the minimum period wherein 1-MeAde is required), such maturation-inhibiting effect was no longer observed. Pretreatment with TPA for 5 min showed that its inhibitory action is irreversible. However, when TPA-injected oocytes were treated with 1-MeAde, all oocytes underwent germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). GVBD was induced in TPA-treated oocytes upon injection of the cytoplasm of maturing oocytes containing maturation-promoting factor (MPF). These facts show that TPA acts on the oocyte surface to inhibit the production of MPF. Retinoids including retinal, retinol and retinoic acid reversed the inhibitory effect of TPA on 1-MeAde-induced maturation. Experiments with various phorbol esters showed a good correlation between their maturation-inhibiting activity and their known tumor-promoting activity. Further, telecoidin, which is structurally unrelated to phorbol esters, inhibited 1-MeAde action. Since both tumor-promoting phorbol esters and teleocidin are known to activate Ca²⁺ -activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) and their activation effect is inhibited by retinoids, it appears that the activation of protein kinase C by tumor promoters is involved in blocking of 1-MeAde action.     

Translocation of protein kinase C is not required to inhibit the antigen-induced increase of cytosolic calcium in a mast cell line

Cross-linking of receptor bound IgE antibodies by multivalent antigen (DNP8-BSA) on PB-3c cells leads to an increase of cytosolic calcium ((Ca2+)i). Active tumor promoting phorbol esters and teleocidin which specifically activate the phospholipid Ca2+-sensitive protein kinase (PKC), inhibited the antigen-mediated rise in (Ca2+)i and induced a time and dose-dependent translocation of cytosolic PKC to membranes of the PB-3c cells as determined by enzyme activity or immunoblotting using a polyclonal anti-PKC antibody. This TPA concentration did not affect the subcellular distribution of PKC, although 1 nM of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) inhibited to 50% the antigen-mediated increase in (Ca2+)i. The concentration of TPA required to induce a half-maximal subcellular redistribution of immunodetectable PKC activity was an order of magnitude greater than the half-maximal dose required to inhibit the antigen-mediated increase in (Ca2+)i. These data demonstrate that the TPA-dependent activation of PKC is not directly coupled to its translocation to membranes.     

Inhibition of DNA synthesis by protein kinase C-activating phorbol esters in NIH/3T3 cells

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) plus insulin induced DNA synthesis in and proliferation of NIH/3T3 cells. The protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), inhibited both the DNA synthesis and cell proliferation induced by FGF plus insulin. The concentration of TPA required for 50% inhibition of the DNA synthesis was about 5 nM. Phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, another protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, also inhibited the DNA synthesis but 4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, known to be inactive for this enzyme, was ineffective. DNA synthesis started at about 12 h after the addition of FGF plus insulin. The inhibitory action of TPA on the DNA synthesis was observed when it was added within 12 h after the addition of FGF plus insulin. These results suggest that phorbol esters exhibit an antiproliferative action through protein kinase C activation in NIH/3T3 cells, and that this action of phorbol esters is due to inhibition of the progression from the late G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle.     

Protein kinase C activators selectively inhibit insulin-stimulated system A transport activity in skeletal muscle at a post-receptor level.

We have investigated the role of phorbol esters on different biological effects induced by insulin in muscle, such as activation of system A transport activity, glucose utilization and insulin receptor function. System A transport activity was measured by monitoring the uptake of the system A-specific analogue alpha-(methyl)aminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), by intact rat extensor digitorum longus muscle. The addition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA, 0.5 microM) for 60 or 180 min did not modify basal MeAIB uptake by muscle, suggesting that insulin signalling required to stimulate MeAIB transport does not involve protein kinase C activation. However, TPA added 30 min before insulin (100 nM) markedly inhibited insulin-stimulated MeAIB uptake. The addition of polymyxin B (0.1 mM) or H-7 (1 mM), protein kinase C inhibitors, alone or in combination with TPA leads to impairment of insulin-stimulated MeAIB uptake. This paradoxical pattern is incompatible with a unique action of Polymyxin B or H-7 on protein kinase C activity. Therefore these agents are not suitable tools with which to investigate whether a certain insulin effect is mediated by protein kinase C. TPA did not cause a generalized inhibition of insulin action. Thus both TPA and insulin increased 3-O-methylglucose uptake by muscle, and their effects were not additive. Furthermore, TPA did not modify insulin-stimulated lactate production by muscle. In keeping with this selective modification of insulin action, treatment of muscles with TPA did not modify insulin receptor binding or kinase activities. In conclusion, phorbol esters do not mimic insulin action on system A transport activity; however, they markedly inhibit insulin-stimulated amino acid transport, with no modification of insulin receptor function in rat skeletal muscle. It is suggested that protein kinase C activation causes a selective post-receptor modification on the biochemical pathway by which insulin activates system A amino acid transport in muscle.     

The 65-kDa phorbol-diester hydrolase in mouse plasma is esterase 1 and is immunologically distinct from the 56-kDa phorbol-diester hydrolase in mouse liver

Esterase 1, a well-characterized mouse plasma protein of unknown function, has activity against a wide range of ester substrates including beta-alanine nitrophenyl esters and 17 beta-esters of estradiol. In this article, we report that esterase 1 is also responsible for a majority of the phorbol-12-ester hydrolase activity in mouse plasma. Incubation of homogeneous esterase 1 with 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) at either 4 or 37 degrees C for up to 18 h yielded phorbol 13 alpha-acetate as the only hydrolysis product. Specific polyclonal antibodies to esterase 1 inhibited 95% of PMA hydrolysis by a purified esterase 1 preparation and 65% of PMA hydrolysis by mouse plasma. Perfused mouse liver homogenates contain two distinct phorbol diester hydrolases with apparent molecular masses of 65 kDa and 56 kDa, respectively. The 65-kDa protein appears to be immunologically identical to the plasma enzyme, while the 56-kDa protein, found in liver but not in plasma, is immunologically distinct. Phorbol 12-myristate, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, and PMA were found to be competitive inhibitors of the beta-alanine-nitrophenyl esterase activity of esterase 1 with Ki values of approximately 7 microM. Phorbol 13-acetate and phorbol itself were less effective with Ki values of 37 and 140 microM, respectively. Sodium salts of valeric and myristic acids did not inhibit at 10 microM. The above results indicate that efficient substrate binding requires a phorbol 12-ester. Similar results were obtained with estradiol 17 beta-valerate which is a better substrate for esterase 1 than is PMA. Our results strongly suggest that esterase 1 and a recently described phorbol ester hydrolase isolated from mouse serum (Saito, M., and Egawa, K. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 5821-5826) are the same and are immunologically and kinetically distinct from the 56-kDa phorbol 12-ester hydrolase in mouse liver.     

Phorbol esters can persistently replace interleukin-2 (IL-2) for the growth of a human IL-2-dependent T-cell line

A selected clone from an IL-2-dependent human T-cell line was persistently propagated in the presence of phorbol esters with the ability to activate protein kinase C (PKC), such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or phorbol-12,13-dibutylate (PDBu). Thus, a TPA(PDBu)-dependent T-cell line, designated TPA-Mat, was established from IL-2-dependent T cells. The TPA-dependency of TPA-Mat was not lost during cultivation for more than a year in the presence of TPA, and TPA-Mat cells still showed IL-2-dependent growth. However, the TPA (PDBu)-dependent growth of TPA-Mat did not seem to be mediated by an autocrine mechanism of IL-2 or by any other growth factor production, because these factors were not detected in TPA-Mat cell supernatants. Therefore, the phorbol esters substituted for IL-2 and may be directly involved in transduction of growth signals in TPA-Mat cells. Although activity of PKC was down-regulated, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) of the PKC beta-gene was detected in TPA-Mat cells cultured with PDBu. Furthermore, the growth of TPA-Mat cells was stimulated not only by phorbol esters but also by nonphorbol ester tumor promoters with the ability to activate PKC. These observations suggest that the sustained activation of PKC by the phorbol esters could induce continuous growth of the IL-2-dependent TPA-Mat cells.     

Production of procollagenase by cultured human keratinocytes

Using a collagen film assay utilizing 14C-labeled type I collagen, we demonstrated that cultured human keratinocytes produced a procollagenase after treatment with the tumor-promoting phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Production of collagenase paralleled alterations in cellular morphology induced by TPA. When procollagenase was immunoprecipitated with antibody to human fibroblast collagenase and analyzed on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, the zymogen was revealed as a 56- and 51-kDa doublet. The keratinocyte-derived collagenase was a neutral metalloprotease, required activation with trypsin for detection in the collagenase assay and produced the characteristic three-quarter and one-quarter length collagen cleavage products when incubated with type I collagen at 25 degrees C. The enzyme was inhibited by serum and cysteine and was largely unaffected by serine, thiol, and carboxyl protease inhibitors. Cycloheximide inhibited the TPA-induced production of collagenase, suggesting that the procollagenase was not stored preformed in the keratinocytes. Keratinocytes treated with a tumor-promoting analogue of TPA also produced collagenase, but cells treated with cytochalasin B, interleukin-1, or two non-tumor promoting phorbol esters did not. Keratinocyte-derived collagenase may play a role in wound healing and morphogenesis.     

Phorbol ester tumor promoters induce epidermal transglutaminase activity

Epidermal basal cells in culture have low levels of epidermal transglutaminase, the enzyme responsible for the formation of the cross-linked envelope in differentiated cells. The tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and other active (but not inactive) phorbol ester skin tumor promoters induce transglutaminase activity. Sloughing of differentiated cells accompanies the rise in transglutaminase activity. Phorbol esters do not affect transglutaminase activity when added directly to cell lysates. Corticosteroids have little influence on transglutaminase induction by phorbol esters. Retinoic acid induces transglutaminase activity, but activity does not further increase when basal cells are treated with both retinoic acid and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.     

Studies on sterol-ester hydrolase from Fusarium oxysporum. I. Partial purification and properties.

1. A search for a long chain fatty acyl sterol-ester hydrolase in microorganisms led to the isolation from soil of five strains belonging to Fusarium sp. which produced strong activity in the culture medium. 2. The cholesterol esterase from Fusarium oxysporum IGH-2 was purified about 270-fold by means of CaCl2 precipitation and Sephadex G-75 column chromatography. 3. The cholesterol esterase was activated by adekatol and Triton X-100. It was inhibited by lecithin and lysolecithin, and completely inactivated by heat treatment (60 degrees C for 30 min, at pH 7.0). 4. The optimum pH of the enzyme was found to be around 7.0. 5. Among various cholesterol esters tested, cholesterol linoleate was the most suitable substrate. 6. Cholesterol esters in serum were also hydrolyzed by this enzyme.     

Membrane-phorbol ester interactions monitored by circular dichroism

The interaction of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), 12-O-retinoylphorbol 13-acetate (RPA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) with L-alpha-phosphatidylserine-containing small unilamellar vesicles or erythrocyte ghosts was monitored by circular dichroism (CD). No change in the CD spectra of PDBu was observed upon binding, while RPA and TPA spectra were slowly affected by the interaction. The changes in RPA and TPA spectra were assigned to the embedding of these molecules in the membrane bilayers. In the presence of 10(8) cells/ml, after one minute incubation, about 2 to 5% of the amount of phorbol ester added is embedded in the membrane. It is suggested that either phorbol esters entering the membrane is not a prerequisite for protein kinase C activation or the amount of phorbol esters necessary to activate protein kinase C is very small.     

Direct effects of phorbol esters and diacylglycerols on the T-tubule Mg(2+)-ATPase.

T-tubule membrane vesicles isolated from skeletal muscle contain a very active Mg(2+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.34) which is modulated by lectins and is located in the junctional region near the sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes (1). The effects of several prominent lipophilic agents upon the ATPase have led us to evaluate the action of diacylglycerols and phorbol esters upon the enzyme. The ATPase is inhibited by submicromolar levels of the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and the diacylglycerol, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (sn-OAG), with K0.5s of 0.2 and 0.5 microM, respectively. Significantly, 4-alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (4-alpha-phorbol) the TPA analogue shown to be inactive toward protein kinase C (PKC), inhibited the ATPase with a K0.5 of 0.3 microM, and 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonyl-sn-glycerol, the preferred endogenous activator of PKC, was not inhibitory toward the ATPase. 1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (a membrane permeant PKC inhibitor) and peptide 19-36 (the highly specific PKC pseudosubstrate inhibitor) were both without effect upon the ATPase and did not affect TPA inhibition. ATPase activity was not altered under phosphorylating conditions in experiments using exogenous rat brain PKC. ConA protected ATPase activity against inhibition by TPA, 4-alpha-phorbol, and sn-OAG. Additionally, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate binding studies demonstrated that the ATPase was capable of significant phorbol binding with ConA protection. The data are consistent with a direct and specific effect of phorbol esters and diacylglycerols upon the ATPase, without any participation of PKC. We conclude that the transverse tubule (T-tubule) ATPase is an alternate receptor for diacylglycerol and TPA in skeletal muscle and that the mode of action of these agents upon the ATPase (inhibition) is opposite to their mode of action on PKC (activation). The data demonstrate that substantial care must be taken in ascribing either cellular or subcellular effects of phorbol esters and diacylglycerols exclusively to the activation of PKC and that alternate receptors may exist. Criteria are recommended for the demonstration of PKC-independent modulation by phorbols and diacylglycerols.     

Gonadotropin release and redistribution of calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase in phorbol-stimulated rat pituitary cells

The effect of phorbol esters on calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent kinase (protein kinase C) and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion was examined in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. The potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulated LH secretion and activated pituitary protein kinase C in the presence of calcium and phosphatidylserine. The enzyme activity present in cytosol and particulate fractions was eluted at about 0.05 M NaCl during DE52-cellulose chromatography. Preincubation of pituitary cells with TPA markedly decreased cytosolic protein kinase C activity and increased enzyme activity in the particulate fraction. The maximal TPA-induced change in enzyme activity, with a 76% decrease in cytosol and a 4.3-fold increase in the particulate fraction, occurred within 10 min. The dose-dependent changes in protein kinase C redistribution in TPA-treated cells were correlated with the stimulation of LH release by the phorbol ester. These results suggest that activation of protein kinase C by TPA is associated with intracellular redistribution of the enzyme and is related to the process of secretory granule release from gonadotrophs.     

Effect of phorbol ester application and other mitogenic treatments on 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in mouse epidermis in vivo

The effects of phorbol ester application and of other mitogenic treatments on the activity of 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase were investigated in dorsal mouse epidermis in vivo. Local treatment with either the weak tumor promoter phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate or the strong promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) increased the activity of the high affinity enzyme (Km = 4 microM). The enzymic changes began within the first hour after application, and lasted for about 5 days. maximal stimulations of approximately 300--400% were reached after 3--6 h with TPA application, whereas with phorbol dibenzoate the maximum could only be reached after 1--2 days. TPA stimulation of the enzyme depended on doses within the range of 0.2 to 20 nmol and could be completely prevented by cycloheximide, but not by 5-azacytidine, actinomycin D, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid or indomethacin. No evidence could be found for cAMP participation in enzyme induction. An increase in enzyme activity could also be observed after other mitogenic treatments such as local application of the weakly promoting phorbol esters C14:4-phorbol acetate ("Ti8") and 4.O-methyl-TPA, or of the non-promoting divalent cation ionophore A 23187, as well as after treatment with a depilatory cream. Skin massage or removal of the horny layer, which also stimulate mitosis, did not evoke a significant increase in enzyme activity. No apparent correlation exists between the hyperplasiogenic and tumor-promoting effectiveness of a manipulation and its effect on epidermal 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase.     

Phorbol ester-stimulated murine myelopoiesis: role of colony-stimulating factors

Tumor promoting phorbol esters, such as 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulate colony formation in vitro by murine granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GM-CFC) without added colony stimulating factors (CSF). To determine whether TPA induces CSF production in vitro, marrow cells were cultured for 1 to 7 days in liquid medium with or without TPA. No CSF was detected in any sample by a double antibody radioimmunoassay (sensitivity = 2 units/0.1 ml), however, colony-stimulating activity was detected in supernatant fluid from all TPA containing cultures by bioassay. This activity appeared to result from a direct effect of TPA rather than from production of CSF, as equivalent activity was found in TPA-containing medium incubated in the absence of marrow cells. Rabbit antiserum to purified L-cell CSF inhibited colony formation stimulated by L-cell CSF and WEHI-3 CSF, but had no effect on colony formation induced by TPA. Cells from long-term marrow cultures responded to TPA with colony formation, despite culture conditions and cell fractionation procedures that reduced the frequency of CSF-producing macrophages to less than 1.0%. TPA inhibited binding of radioiodinated L-cell CSF to marrow cells, especially if the cells were first exposed to TPA. These results do not support induction of CSF production as the major mechanism of phorbol ester stimulation of myelopoiesis. Phorbol esters may directly stimulate GM-CFC and/or enhance their response to CSF by a mechanism involving CSF binding sites.     

Protein kinase C levels and protein phosphorylation associated with inhibition of proliferation in a murine macrophage tumor

Treatment of M5076 tumor cells with the phorbol estes 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PdBu) inhibited cellular proliferation, whereas 1,2-dioctanoyl-glycerol (DiC8) and 1-oleoyl2-acetyl-glycerol (OAG) did not affect cell growth. Inhibition of cellular proliferation in this cell line appears to be a consequence of protein kinase C (PKC) down-regulation since phorbol esters, but not a single application of diacylglycerols (DGs) down-regulated cellular PKC levels. By repeated application of DGs, PKC down-regulation was achieved and correlated with inhibition of proliferation. Phorbol ester-induced PKC down-regulation was reversible, upon removal of the phorbol ester, and the reappearance of PKC was associated with resumption of proliferation. The mitogenic responsiveness of these cells to added serum depended upon cellular PKC levels. Phorbol esters also caused the phosphorylation of two proteins which were not phosphorylated in response to DG treatment. Inhibition of growth of M5076 cells appears to be associated with phosphorylation of two novel proteins and/or PKC down-regulation.     

Tumor promotion by depleting cells of protein kinase C delta.

Tumor-promoting phorbol esters activate, but then deplete cells of, protein kinase C (PKC) with prolonged treatment. It is not known whether phorbol ester-induced tumor promotion is due to activation or depletion of PKC. In rat fibroblasts overexpressing the c-Src proto-oncogene, the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced anchorage-independent growth and other transformation-related phenotypes. The appearance of transformed phenotypes induced by TPA in these cells correlated not with activation but rather with depletion of expressed PKC isoforms. Consistent with this observation, PKC inhibitors also induced transformed phenotypes in c-Src-overexpressing cells. Bryostatin 1, which inhibited the TPA-induced down-regulation of the PKCdelta isoform specifically, blocked the tumor-promoting effects of TPA, implicating PKCdelta as the target of the tumor-promoting phorbol esters. Consistent with this hypothesis, expression of a dominant negative PKCdelta mutant in cells expressing c-Src caused transformation of these cells, and rottlerin, a protein kinase inhibitor with specificity for PKCdelta, like TPA, caused transformation of c-Src-overexpressing cells. These data suggest that the tumor-promoting effect of phorbol esters is due to depletion of PKCdelta, which has an apparent tumor suppressor function.