Role of protein kinase C in neutrophil survival enhanced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) (10 ng/mL) prolonged human neutrophil survival in culture by at least 36 hours. The addition of H-series compounds at concentrations that are considered to inhibit both protein kinase C (PKC) and cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) counteracted the effect of rhG-CSF. Concomitantly, the inhibition of nucleosomal DNA fragmentation by rhG-CSF was canceled. At lower concentrations, presumably capable of inhibiting only PKA, however, the compounds exhibited marginal effects on rhG-CSF-mediated increase of cell survival. These PKC inhibitors did not influence the priming effect of rhG-CSF significantly, as determined by O2- production stimulated by N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl phenylalanine (fMLP). Our results suggest that PKC plays an important role in the mechanism by which rhG-CSF promotes neutrophil survival, in striking contrast with the priming effect elicited by rhG-CSF.