Protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways of mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in macrophages by stimuli that activate phospholipase A2.

The activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) in macrophages and the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in MAP kinase activation was investigated in macrophages exposed to agents that have previously been shown to activate the 85-kDa cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and induce arachidonic acid release. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and zymosan maximally stimulated MAP kinase activity by 5 and 15 min, respectively, whereas the response to okadaic acid was maximal by 60-90 min. MAP kinase activation correlated with tyrosine phosphorylation of p44 MAP kinase in PMA-stimulated cells and p44 and p42 MAP kinases in zymosan- and okadaic acid-stimulated cells. MAP kinase activity was not elevated in A23187-stimulated macrophages. Inhibition of PKC with the inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide (GF109203X), or by prolonged exposure to PMA suppressed both arachidonic acid release and MAP kinase activation in PMA- and zymosan-stimulated macrophages but not in okadaic acid or A23187-treated cells. However, prolonged exposure to PMA did not suppress the increased cytosolic PLA2 activity in agonist-treated macrophages. This approach was complicated since initial exposure to PMA to down-regulate PKC increased cytosolic PLA2 activity which remained elevated for 16 h. In contrast, GF109203X treatment suppressed the increase in cytosolic PLA2 activity in response to zymosan and PMA but not to okadaic acid or A23187. The results demonstrate that PMA and zymosan trigger PKC activation that leads to the activation of MAP kinase and PLA2, whereas these responses are PKC independent in okadaic acid-treated cells. In addition, the results are consistent with a role for MAP kinase activation in regulating the activation of the 85-kDa PLA2 and arachidonic acid release in PMA-, zymosan-, and okadaic acid-stimulated cells, whereas these responses in A23187-treated cells are MAP kinase-and PKC-independent.