The involvement of protein kinase C in nitric oxide-induced damage to rat isolated colonic mucosal cells

1 The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in colonic cellular injury in response to high concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) released from the donor, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP) was investigated. 2 Addition of SNAP (0.1-1000 mu M) to the cellular suspension resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the extent of damage to isolated colonic mucosal cells as assessed by Trypan blue dye uptake and release of the lysosmal enzyme, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase. SNAP treatment also resulted in an increase in cellular total PKC activity. These increases were reduced or eliminated by pretreatment of the cells with the PKC antagonists staurosporine or GF 109203X or the NO scavenger, phenyl-4,4,5,5,-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (PTIO). 3 PKC-alpha PKC-delta, PKC-epsilon and PKC-zeta were detected in colonic cellular lysates by immunoblotting. However, only PKC-epsilon protein was increased in response to SNAP treatment. Furthermore, SNAP treatment resulted in activation of PKC-epsilon by causing translocation of the enzyme from the cytosolic to membrane fraction of the cell. This effect was eliminated if cells were preincubated with the NO scavenger, PTIO. 4 The extent of cellular damage in response to addition of SNAP to the incubation medium was enhanced by coincubation with the PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 1 and 10 mu M). 5 PKC activity and the extent of cell damage in response to SNAP were reduced by preincubation of the cells with the peroxyl scavenger, ebselen (0.01-10 mu M). 6 These data suggest that the PKC-epsilon isoform of the enzyme mediates NO-induced damage to colonic mucosal cells. This response may occur, at least in part, due to peroxynitrite formation.