Role of protein kinase C in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase

We studied the involvement of protein kinase C in the induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, a rate-limiting enzyme of polyamine degradation, in bovine lymphocytes. When phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and H-7, a protein kinase inhibitor, were added simultaneously to lymphocyte cultures, the elevation caused by PHA of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase activity at 24 h after administration was reduced. In cells treated with a lower concentration of PHA, the acetyltransferase activity was enhanced with 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), an activator of protein kinase C, and reached the level of cells with a higher concentration of PHA. PHA did not cause maximum induction of the enzyme in cells treated with 160 ng/ml TPA. The induction of this acetyltransferase with PHA is probably mediated by protein kinase C.