Staurosporine and calphostin-C inhibit the phorbol ester-induced decrease of protein kinase C activity in rat hepatocytes.

Two main forms of protein kinase C (PKC 1 and PKC 2) are detected in homogenates of rat hepatocytes using DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The activity of these forms paradoxically, is rapidly decreased by treatment in vivo with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The dose-response curves to PMA for decreasing the activities of PKC 1 and 2 were shifted to the right by the potent and selective PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and calphostin-C. The decreases induced by 100 nM PMA were dose-dependently blocked by these inhibitors. It is concluded that activation of PKC is required and precedes such decreases in activity induced by the active phorbol ester.