[Role of protein kinase C in the regulation of Ca-responses induced by purinergic agonists and thapsigargin in rat peritoneal macrophages].

The effect of protein kinase C activating phorbol ester, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), on purinergic agonists- and thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ signals in Fura-2 loaded rat peritoneal macrophages was investigated. PMA (100 ng/ml) was shown to inhibit 200 muM ATP- or 200 microM UTP-evoked Ca2+ entry in macrophages. Protein kinase C activation by PMA also inhibits the store-dependent or "capacitative" Ca2+ influx stimulated by emptying the intracellular Ca2+ stores with endoplasmic Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin (0.5 microM). Inhibition of entry by PMA was fully prevented by protein kinase C inhibitor 50 microM H-7. These data are compatible with the important role played by protein kinase C in the control of Ca2+ entry in rat peritoneal macrophages.