Induction of chemotaxis in mouse peritoneal macrophages by activators of protein kinase C.

Two activators of calcium and phospholipid dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and the synthetic diacylglycerol, 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG), were compared as chemotactic agents for mouse peritoneal macrophages. Both of these compounds were found to induce chemotaxis in the macrophages to a similar extent in a time and dose dependent manner. Induction of chemotaxis was observed in the concentration range of 10-100 nM for TPA and 25-250 microM for OAG. Two structurally related synthetic sn 1,2-diacylglycerols, 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8) and 1,2-didecanoylglycerol (diC10), were also found to be chemotactic for macrophages, while monoacylglycerol (2-monoolein) was inactive. Of the diacylglycerols, OAG was found to be the most active followed by diC8 and diC10. In contrast to TPA, the synthetic diacylglycerols had no effect on superoxide anion release by the cells, suggesting that the mechanism of superoxide anion release by TPA in macrophages is distinct from chemotaxis. Phorbol-12,13-diacetate, a biologically inactive phorbol ester analog that inhibits the binding of TPA to its cellular receptors, inhibited macrophage chemotaxis induced by TPA, the synthetic diacylglycerols, and the complement fragment, C5a. Taken together, our results suggest that chemotaxis in macrophages may be mediated by activation of protein kinase C.