TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) enhances the central hypoglycemic action of thyrotropin-releasing hormone in mice.

This study examined the effect of the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) activator, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the plasma glucose responses to central thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) injection in mice in order to evaluate the involvement of PKC in the mechanism of TRH action in the central nervous system (CNS). TRH (0.1-10 micrograms), as well as the neuroactive TRH analogs, CG 3509, CG 3703, DN 1417, RX 77368, [Nva2]-TRH, KPC-TRH, and TRH-Gly (0.1-10 micrograms), injected centrally in normoglycemic mice reduced the circulating glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner. TPA (0.1-1 microgram), administered centrally together with TRH (1 microgram) or the TRH analogs strongly enhanced the hypoglycemic response. Similar doses of TPA had no effect on plasma glucose when administered alone or together with TRH analogs devoid of central hypoglycemic action, i.e. [Glu1]-TRH, [Phe2]-TRH, and [Gly3]-TRH (1 microgram). Central injection of a TPA analog lacking PKC-stimulating activity, 4-alpha-phorbol (0.1-1 microgram) had no effect on the hypoglycemic response to coadministered TRH. These results, demonstrating a specific effect of TPA in enhancing the hypoglycemic response to central TRH or its neuroactive, though not inactive, analogs are consistent with a possible role for PKC in the mechanism of TRH action in the CNS.