Comparison of epidermal protein kinase C activity, ornithine decarboxylase induction and DNA synthesis stimulated by TPA or dioctanoylglycerol in mouse strains with differing susceptibility to TPA-induced tumor promotion.

The purpose of this study was to examine the activity and associated kinetic parameters of epidermal protein kinase C (PKC) following stimulation by sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DIC8) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and to examine the relationship between levels of epidermal PKC activity and the induction of ornithine decarboxylase by these agents, utilizing various stocks and strains of mice. Importantly, the mouse strains and stock used in this study have known differing susceptibilities to undergo TPA-induced tumor promotion: the CD-1 stock and the DBA/2 strain (both sensitive to TPA-induced tumor promotion) and the C57BL/6 strain (resistant to TPA-induced tumor promotion). TPA-stimulated protein kinase C activity was measured in the 10(5)g supernatant fraction of epidermal homogenates using lysine-rich histone as a phosphate acceptor substrate. The maximal velocities for TPA-stimulated epidermal PKC activity in CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 were 0.28, 0.29 and 0.27 nmol PO4-histone/mg 10(5)g protein/min, respectively. TPA-stimulated epidermal PKC from CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 had similar theoretical Vmax values and the apparent concentrations of TPA yielding half-maximal stimulation of PKC were also similar. DiC8-stimulated PKC activity to a greater Vmax; however, the concentration required to yield half-maximal stimulation of PKC was one thousand times greater than that of TPA. There were no strain differences in these parameters when the enzyme was stimulated with DiC8. Thus, the levels of epidermal PKC activity in CD-1, DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice exhibit no strain differences when stimulated by TPA or DiC8 using lysine-rich histone as a phosphate acceptor substrate. Since sn-1,2-diacylglycerols are known effective inducers of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity, the induction of epidermal ODC was examined in each mouse strain 5 h after topical application of 2 nmol TPA, 5 nmol TPA or 2.5 mumol DiC8. After topical treatment with TPA, C57BL/6 demonstrated an unexpected 2- and 4-fold increase in ODC activity over CD-1 and DBA/2 mice. After treatment with DiC8, C57BL/6 demonstrated a 6- and 10-fold increase in ODC activity over CD-1 and DBA/2, respectively. Thus, the resistant strain (C57BL/6) demonstrated a 'hyperinducibility' of epidermal ODC activity by TPA or DiC8. The time course for the induction of epidermal ODC was examined in each strain, and at every time point measured (3-15 h), the C57BL/6 strain exhibited this 'hyperinducibility' of ODC relative to the other strains. Epidermal DNA synthesis was stimulated to a similar extent in C57BL/6 and CD-1 mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)