Phorbol esters induce neurotransmitter release in cholinergic synaptosomes from Torpedo electric organ.

The effect of phorbol esters and so the involvement of Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C;PKC) in the release of acetylcholine (ACh) was studied using Torpedo electric organ synaptosomes. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a known activator of PKC, induced neurotransmitter release in a concentration-dependent manner and increased the potassium-evoked release of ACh. The effect of TPA was shown to be independent of the extrasynaptosomal calcium concentration. TPA-induced ACh release was reversed by H-7, an inhibitor of PKC activity. This drug showed no effect on potassium-evoked ACh release. Botulinum toxin, a strong blocker of potassium-induced ACh release in that synaptosomal preparation, showed no inhibitory effect on the TPA-induced ACh release. Our results suggest that activation of PKC potentiates the release of an ACh pool that is not releasable by potassium depolarization, independently of the extracellular calcium concentration.