Functional significance of protein kinase C in human T-cell activation: a new therapeutic class?

The assumption that protein kinase C activation is necessary for T-cell activation in response to MHC class II restricted antigen-presentation is supported by several lines of circumstantial evidence. We have developed potent, cell-permeable and selective inhibitors of PKC to test this hypothesis. Our data demonstrate the crucial role for PKC in T-cell activation and that selective orally bioavailable PKC inhibitors are efficacious in preventing T-cell driven chronic inflammatory responses in vivo.