Biomedical subjects

W R Bishop

Publications and source records attributed to W R Bishop.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Antitumor activity of SCH 66336, an orally bioavailable tricyclic inhibitor of farnesyl protein transferase, in human tumor xenograft models and wap-ras transgenic mice.

We have been developing a series of nonpeptidic, small molecule farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors that share a common tricyclic nucleus and compete with peptide/protein substrates for binding to farnesyl protein transferase. Here, we report on pharmacological and in vivo studies with SCH 66336, a lead compound in this structural class. SCH 66336 potently inhibits Ha-Ras processing in whole cells and blocks the transformed growth properties of fibroblasts and human tumor cell lines expressing activated Ki-Ras proteins. The anchorage-independent growth of many human tumor lines that lack an activated ras oncogene is also blocked by treatment with SCH 66336. In mouse, rat, and monkey systems, SCH 66336 has excellent oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties. In the nude mouse, SCH 66336 demonstrated potent oral activity in a wide array of human tumor xenograft models including tumors of colon, lung, pancreas, prostate, and urinary bladder origin. Enhanced in vivo efficacy was observed when SCH 66336 was combined with various cytotoxic agents (cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and vincristine). In a Ha-Ras transgenic mouse model, prophylactic treatment with SCH 66336 delayed tumor onset, reduced the average number of tumors/mouse, and reduced the average tumor weight/animal. In a therapeutic mode in which gavage treatment was initiated after the transgenic mice had developed palpable tumors, significant tumor regression was induced by SCH 66336 in a dose-dependent fashion. This was associated with increased apoptosis and decreased DNA synthesis in tumors of animals treated with SCH 66336. Enhanced efficacy was also observed in this model when SCH 66336 was combined with cyclophosphamide. SCH 66336 is presently being evaluated in Phase I clinical trials.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1998

Inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase. Synthesis and biological activity of amide and cyanoguanidine derivatives containing a 5,11-dihydro[1]benzthiepin, benzoxepin, and benzazepin [4,3-b]pyridine ring system.

Bioisosteric replacement of the C-6 carbon atom in piperidine I and piperazine II with S, O, and N heteroatoms is described. Amide and cyanoguanidine derivatives of these compounds were evaluated in vitro and found to be good inhibitors of farnesyl-protein transferase. An improved method of preparing the 5,11-dihydro-[1]-benzthiepin nucleus 6 was accomplished in high yield and with excellent regioselectivity using an AlCl3 melt protocol.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1998

Potent, selective, and orally bioavailable tricyclic pyridyl acetamide N-oxide inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase with enhanced in vivo antitumor activity.

We previously reported compound 1 as a potent farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) inhibitor that exhibited reasonable pharmacokinetic stability and showed moderate in vivo activity against a variety of tumor cell lines. The analogous C-11 single compound, pyridylacetamide 2, was found to be more potent than 1 in FPT inhibition. Further studies showed that modification of the ethano bridge of the tricyclic ring system by conversion into a double bond with concomitant introduction of a single bond at C-11 piperidine resulted in compound 3 that had superior FPT activity and pharmacokinetic stability. Compound 4, a 5-bromo-substituted analogue of 3, showed improved FPT activity, had good cellular activity, and demonstrated a remarkably improved pharmacokinetic profile with AUC of 84.9 and t1/2 of 82 min. Compound4 inhibited the growth of solid tumor in DLD-1 model by 70% at 50 mpk and 52% at 10 mpk.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1998

Inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase. 4-Amido, 4-carbamoyl, and 4-carboxamido derivatives of 1-(8-chloro-6,11-dihydro-5H-benzo[5,6]- cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-11-yl)piperazine and 1-(3-bromo-8-chloro-6,11- dihydro-5H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-11-yl)piperazine.

The synthesis of a variety of novel 4-amido, 4-carbamoyl and 4-carboxamido derivatives of 1-(8-chloro-6,11-dihydro-5H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-11-yl) piperazine to explore the SAR of this series of FPT inhibitors is described. This resulted in the synthesis of the 4- and 3-pyridylacetyl analogues 45a and 50a, respectively, both of which were orally active but were found to be rapidly metabolized in vivo. Identification of the principal metabolites led to the synthesis of a variety of new compounds that would be less readily metabolized, the most interesting of which were the 3- and 4-pyridylacetyl N-oxides 80a and 83a. Novel replacements for the pyridylacetyl moiety were also sought, and this resulted in the discovery of the 4-N-methyl and 4-N-carboxamidopiperidinylacetyl derivatives 135a and 160a, respectively. All of these derivatives exhibited greatly improved pharmacokinetics. The synthesis of the corresponding 3-bromo analogues resulted in the discovery of the 4-pyridylacetyl N-oxides 83b (+/-) and 85b [11S(-)] and the 4-carboxamidopiperidinylacetamido derivative 160b (+/-), all of which exhibited potent FPT inhibition in vitro. All three showed excellent oral bioavailability in vivo in nude mice and cynomolgus monkeys and exhibited excellent antitumor efficacy against a series of tumor cell lines when dosed orally in nude mice.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1998

Synthesis of isomeric 3-piperidinyl and 3-pyrrolidinyl benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridines: sulfonamido derivatives as inhibitors of Ras prenylation.

Blocking farnesylation of oncogenic Ras proteins is a mechanism based therapeutic approach that is of current interest for the development of antitumor agents to treat ras associated tumors. As part of a SAR study on the lead farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) inhibitor I, we report here the synthesis of novel geometric isomers II and III and the FPT inhibition activity of their N-acyl and N-sulfonamido derivatives 15-65. The N-acyl derivatives are markedly less active than the lead inhibitor I thereby demonstrating that the spatial location of the N-acyl group in I is critical for binding of the compound to FPT. In contrast to I, the N-sulfonamido-II series is a novel lead of non-sulfhydryl, nonpeptidic compounds that are dual FPT/GGPT inhibitors. In light of recent reports on the alternative prenylation of N- and K-Ras, dual FPT/GGPT inhibitors may be required to control cell proliferation in tumors containing activated Ras.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1997

Structure-activity relationship of 3-substituted N-(pyridinylacetyl)-4- (8-chloro-5,6-dihydro-11H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-11-ylidene )- piperidine inhibitors of farnesyl-protein transferase: design and synthesis of in vivo active antitumor compounds.

Novel tricyclic Ras farnesyl-protein transferase (FPT) inhibitors are described. A comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of compounds arising from substitution at the 3-position of the tricyclic pyridine ring system has been explored. In the case of halogens, the chloro, bromo, and iodo analogues 19, 22, and 28 were found to be equipotent. However, the fluoro analogue 17 was an order of magnitude less active. Whereas a small alkyl substituent such as a methyl group resulted in a very potent FPT inhibitor (SCH 56580), introduction of bulky substituents such as tert-butyl, compound 33, or a phenyl group, compound 29, resulted in inactive FPT inhibitors. Polar groups at the 3-position such as amino 5, alkylamino 6, and hydroxyl 12 were less active. Whereas compound SCH 44342 did not show appreciable in vivo antitumor activity, the 3-bromo-substituted pyridyl N-oxide amide analogue 38 was a potent FPT inhibitor that reduced tumor growth by 81% when administered q.i.d. at 50 mpk and 52% at 10 mpk. These compounds are nonpeptidic and do not contain sulfhydryl groups. They selectively inhibit FPT and not geranylgeranyl-protein transferase-1 (GGPT-1). They also inhibit H-Ras processing in COS monkey kidney cells and soft agar growth of Ras-transformed cells.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1997

K- and N-Ras are geranylgeranylated in cells treated with farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors.

The association of mutant forms of Ras protein with a variety of human cancers has stimulated intense interest in therapies based on inhibiting oncogenic Ras signaling. Attachment of Ras proteins to the plasma membrane is required for effective Ras signaling and is initiated by the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase. We found that in the presence of potent farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors, Ras proteins in the human colon carcinoma cell line DLD-1 were alternatively prenylated by geranylgeranyl transferase-1. When H-Ras, N-Ras, K-Ras4A, and K-Ras4B were expressed individually in COS cells, H-Ras prenylation and membrane association were found to be uniquely sensitive to farnesyl transferase inhibitors; N- and K-Ras proteins incorporated the geranylgeranyl isoprene group and remained associated with the membrane fraction. The alternative prenylation of N- and K-Ras has significant implications for our understanding of the mechanism of action of farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors as anti-cancer chemotherapeutics.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1997

Characterization of Ha-ras, N-ras, Ki-Ras4A, and Ki-Ras4B as in vitro substrates for farnesyl protein transferase and geranylgeranyl protein transferase type I.

Ras proteins are small GTP-binding proteins which are critical for cell signaling and proliferation. Four Ras isoforms exist: Ha-Ras, N-Ras, Ki-Ras4A, and Ki-Ras4B. The carboxyl termini of all four isoforms are post-translationally modified by farnesyl protein transferase (FPT). Prenylation is required for oncogenic Ras to transform cells. Recently, it was reported that Ki-Ras4B is also an in vitro substrate for the related enzyme geranylgeranyl protein transferase-1 (GGPT-1) (James, G. L., Goldstein, J. L., and Brown, M. S. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 6221-6226). In the current studies, we compared the four isoforms of Ras as substrates for FPT and GGPT-1. The affinity of FPT for Ki-Ras4B (Km = 30 nM) is 10-20-fold higher than that for the other Ras isoforms. Consistent with this, when the different Ras isoforms are tested at equimolar concentrations, it requires 10-20-fold higher levels of CAAX-competitive compounds to inhibit Ki-Ras4B farnesylation. Additionally, we found that, as reported for Ki-Ras4B, N-Ras and Ki-Ras4A are also in vitro substrates for GGPT-1. Of the Ras isoforms, N-Ras is the highest affinity substrate for GGPT-1 and is similar in affinity to a standard GGPT-1 substrate terminating in leucine. However, the catalytic efficiencies of these geranylgeranylation reactions are between 15- and 140-fold lower than the corresponding farnesylation reactions, largely reflecting differences in affinity. Carboxyl-terminal peptides account for many of the properties of the Ras proteins. One interesting exception is that, unlike the full-length N-Ras protein, a carboxyl-terminal N-Ras peptide is not a GGPT-1 substrate, raising the possibility that upstream sequences in this protein may play a role in its recognition by GGPT-1. Studies with various carboxyl-terminal peptides from Ki-Ras4B suggest that both the carboxyl-terminal methionine and the upstream polylysine region are important determinants for geranylgeranylation. Furthermore, it was found that full-length Ki-Ras4B, but not other Ras isoforms, can be geranylgeranylated in vitro by FPT. These findings suggest that the different distribution of Ras isoforms and the ability of cells to alternatively process these proteins may explain in part the resistance of some cell lines to FPT inhibitors.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1997

SCH 47112, a novel staurosporine derivative, inhibits 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia in hairless mouse skin.

Protein kinase C (PKC) regulates keratinocyte growth and differentiation as well as inflammation in skin, processes which are abnormal in skin diseases such as psoriasis. 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) binds to and activates PKC. We investigated the effects of SCH 47112, a novel staurosporine derivative, which interacts with the catalytic domain of PKC, on TPA-induced inflammation and hyperplasia in hairless mouse skin and TPA-induced differentiation in cultured human keratinocytes. Dorsal mouse skin was treated with vehicle, TPA (2.0/ 2.5 nmol) or SCH 47112 followed by TPA. Epidermal thickness, and epidermal, upper dermal and deep dermal inflammation (assessed on an ordinal semiquantitative scale) were determined in biopsies taken 24 h and 48 h post-treatment. SCH 47112 (100 nmol) inhibited TPA-induced epidermal, upper dermal and deep dermal inflammation by 71%, 45% and 22%, respectively, at 24 h (n = 3, P < 0.05). TPA-induced epidermal hyperplasia was inhibited by SCH 47112 (400 nmol) by 38% at 48 h (n = 3, P < 0.05). In addition, in cultured human keratinocytes, SCH 47112 inhibited TPA induction of transglutaminase. I protein, which catalyzes the formation of crosslinked envelopes. These results indicate that SCH 47112 exhibits biological activity, inhibiting TPA-induced changes in hairless mouse skin in vivo and cultured human keratinocytes in vitro, and suggest that PKC inhibitors may have a therapeutic role in inflammatory skin diseases.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Antitumor 8-chlorobenzocycloheptapyridines: a new class of selective, nonpeptidic, nonsulfhydryl inhibitors of ras farnesylation.

Ras farnesylation by farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) is an intracellular event that facilitates the membrane association of the ras protein and is involved in the signal transduction process. FPT inhibition could be a novel, noncytotoxic method of treating ras dependent tumor growth. We report here three structural classes of 8-chlorobenzocycloheptapyridines as novel, nonpeptidic, nonsulfhydryl FPT inhibitors having antitumor activity in mice when dosed orally. We discuss structural and conformational aspects of these compounds in relation to biological activities as well as a comparison to the conformation of a bound tetrapeptide FPT inhibitor.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Discovery of novel nonpeptide tricyclic inhibitors of Ras farnesyl protein transferase.

A comprehensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of novel tricyclic amides has been undertaken. The discovery of compounds that are potent FPT inhibitors in the nanomolar range has been achieved. These compounds are nonpeptidic and do not contain sulfhydryl groups. They selectively inhibit farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) and not geranylgeranyl protein transferase-1 (GGPT-1). They also inhibit H-Ras processing in Cos monkey kidney cells.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1996

Substitution of cadmium for zinc in farnesyl:protein transferase alters its substrate specificity.

Ras proteins are mutationally activated in a variety of human cancers. Since farnesylation of Ras proteins is required for expression of their oncogenic potential, the enzyme responsible for this reaction, farnesyl:protein transferase (FPT), has become a major target for anticancer drug development. FPT is a zinc metalloenzyme, and the zinc is essential for its catalytic activity. To begin to elucidate the role of zinc in catalysis, we initiated metal substitution studies. Of all metals tested, only cadmium was able to functionally substitute for zinc, reconstituting enzymatic activity with native substrates (H-Ras and farnesyl diphosphate) to about 50% of that of the zinc-containing enzyme. Several important differences were observed between cadmium-substituted FPT (Cd-FPT) and zinc-containing FPT (Zn-FPT). Cd-FPT not only uses H-ras with its native CaaX motif (Ras-CVLS) as a substrate but also can farnesylate H-ras in which the CaaX motif is altered to contain a C-terminal leucine residue (Ras-CVLL). Similarly, Cd-FPT can farnesylate leucine-terminated peptides. Leucine-terminated proteins and peptides are usually substrates for the related enzyme geranylgeranyl:protein transferase type I. Farnesylation of Ras-CVLS and Ras-CVLL by Cd-FPT exhibited similar sensitivity to the FPT inhibitor SCH 44342 and to the peptide inhibitor CAIM. However, unlike Zn-FPT, Cd-FPT is also potently inhibited by the leucine-terminated peptide CAIL. These results indicate that the metal ion content of FPT strongly influences its protein substrate specificity.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1995

Novel tricyclic inhibitors of farnesyl protein transferase. Biochemical characterization and inhibition of Ras modification in transfected Cos cells.

Ras protooncogenes encode 21-kDa membrane-associated guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, which play a critical role in control of cellular proliferation and differentiation. Oncogenic, activated forms of Ras proteins are associated with a broad range of human cancers. The elucidation of the post-translational modifications that occur at the carboxyl terminus of Ras and the demonstration that farnesylation of Ras by farnesyl protein transferase is essential for Ras-induced cellular transformation has opened up a new and promising approach to the development of anti-Ras therapeutics. We report here a novel series of potent farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) inhibitors, represented by SCH 44342. This compound inhibits both rat brain and recombinant human FPT with an IC50 of approximately 250 nM, while it is only weakly active against rat brain geranylgeranyl protein transferase-1 (IC50 > 114 microM). FPT inhibition has been observed using both Ha-Ras protein and Ki-Ras-derived peptide substrates in two different assay formats. SCH 44342 and its analogs also inhibit farnesylation of Ras in Cos cells transiently expressing [Val12]Ha-Ras with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. At these concentrations they do not inhibit sterol biosynthesis or geranylgeranylation of protein. In addition, we observed that Cos cells undergo pronounced morphological changes upon overexpression of [Val12]activated forms of Ha-Ras containing COOH-terminal sequences allowing farnesylation (CVLS) or geranylgeranylation (CVLL) but not upon overexpression of activated Ras lacking the isoprenylated Cys (SVLS). Ras-induced morphological changes can be partially reverted with lovastatin. Importantly, SCH 44342 can block morphological changes induced by [Val12]Ha-Ras-CVLS but not [Val12]Ha-Ras-CVLL. Recently, a number of other FPT inhibitors have been reported. Most of the compounds reported to have cell-based activity are peptidomimetic analogs of the CAAX substrate. Our FPT inhibitors are novel in that although they compete with Ras protein in kinetic experiments they are entirely nonpeptidic in nature, they do not have oxidizable sulfhydryl functions, and they are active in cells at low micromolar concentrations.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

PubMed1995

Ceramide quantitation: evaluation of a mixed micellar assay using E. coli diacylglycerol kinase.

The phosphorylation of ceramide solubilized in octylglucoside/phosphatidylglycerol mixed micelles by E. coli diacylglycerol kinase was evaluated. Ceramide containing non-hydroxy fatty acids appeared to be phosphorylated quantitatively over a broad range from 25 to 2000 pmoles. If a 2-hydroxy fatty acid was present in the ceramide molecule, phosphorylation was not quantitative. When applied to cellular lipid extracts, TLC of the phosphorylated products is needed to separate ceramide-phosphates from the other labelled compounds (i.e. phosphatidate and lysophosphatidate) and revealed the presence of ceramides containing long and very long chain fatty acids. The mass levels of these ceramides in different cultured cells varied between 0.2 to 0.6 mol% (normalized to phospholipids). Changes in these levels were observed under different stress conditions such as heat treatment or addition of DMSO or detergents to the cell cultures.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Phosphorylation of Thr642 is an early event in the processing of newly synthesized protein kinase C beta 1 and is essential for its activation.

Earlier studies of a site-specific mutant of protein kinase C beta 1 (PKC beta 1) altered at Thr635 and Thr642 indicated that these phosphorylation sites are critical for enzymatic function (Zhang, J., Wang, L., Petrin, J., Bishop, W. R., and Bond, R. W. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90,6130-6134). To determine the contribution of the individual threonines, we report here on two site-specific mutants in which either Thr635 or Thr642 was changed to alanine. When transiently overexpressed in Cos cells wild-type PKC beta 1 exists in two forms: a Triton-insoluble form with high electrophoretic mobility and a slower migrating Triton-soluble form. Mutation at Thr642 (but not Thr635) results in production of only the fast-migrating form. [35S]Methionine pulse-chase labeling indicates that wild-type PKC beta 1 is synthesized as the fast-migrating form and is subsequently converted to the slow-migrating form. 32P labeling shows that only the slow-migrating form is a phosphoprotein. Mutation of Thr642 abolishes this phosphorylation. Finally, the Thr642 mutant PKC beta 1 lacks enzymatic activity and, when expressed in NIH 3T3 cells, reduces phorbol ester-induced c-fos promoter activity. These results indicate that Thr642 phosphorylation is an early event in the processing of newly synthesized PKC beta 1 and is required for enzymatic function. These results support a role for a PKC kinase in PKC processing and activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Characterization of site-specific mutants altered at protein kinase C beta 1 isozyme autophosphorylation sites.

The autophosphorylation sites of the beta 2 isozyme of protein kinase C (PKC) were recently identified as Ser-16/Thr-17 near the NH2 terminus, Thr-314/Thr-324 in the hinge region, and Thr-634/Thr-641 near the COOH terminus [Flint, A.J., Paladini, R.D. & Koshland, D.E. (1990) Science 294, 408-411]. To define the role of autophosphorylation we constructed three site-directed mutants of PKC beta 1 isozyme in which each pair of phosphorylatable residues is changed to alanine. Wild-type PKC beta 1 and the mutant proteins were transiently overexpressed in COS cells, resulting in at least a 20-fold increase in [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding compared with control transfectants. Enzyme assays of PKC partially purified from transfected cells indicated at least a 5-fold increase in PKC activity upon expression of the wild-type protein or the NH2-terminal and hinge mutants. In contrast, no increased activity was detected upon expression of the COOH-terminal mutant. Immunoblot analysis using a beta isoform-specific antibody showed that wild-type, NH2-terminal mutant, and hinge mutant proteins are similarly distributed between the Triton-soluble and insoluble fractions. In contrast, the COOH-terminal mutant protein is largely Triton-insoluble. Immunoblot analysis also indicated that this mutant is resistant to down-regulation upon chronic exposure of cells to phorbol ester. Moreover, RNA blot analysis showed that overexpression of wild-type PKC but not of the COOH-terminal mutant enhances phorbol ester induction of c-FOS and c-JUN mRNA. Our results indicate that (i) alteration in the NH2-terminal and hinge autophosphorylation sites has no effect on PKC function by the criteria examined and (ii) the COOH-terminal autophosphorylation sites are critical for PKC function and possibly subcellular localization in COS cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

A novel class of platelet activating factor antagonists from Phoma sp.

Four novel platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonists, Sch 47918, Sch 49026, Sch 49027 and Sch 49028, were isolated from the fermentation broth of the fungal culture, Phoma sp. (ATCC 74077). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The structure and stereochemistry of the first isolated component, Sch 47918, were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Sch 49028, the most active component, was found to inhibit PAF-induced human platelet aggregation in vitro with an IC50 of 1.26 microM. However, this compound was inactive in vivo at 5 mg/kg, iv against PAF-induced bronchospasm in guinea pigs.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Differential regulation of phosphoinositide and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by protein kinase C-beta 1 overexpression. Effects on stimulation by alpha-thrombin, guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate), and calcium.

Rat 6 fibroblasts that stably overexpress cDNA for the beta 1 isozyme of protein kinase C (PKC3 cells) were used to determine the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) overexpression on hormonal stimulation of phospholipid hydrolysis. In control Rat 6 cells, inositol trisphosphate levels (InsP3) were increased 9-fold in 15 s in response to 10 nM alpha-thrombin, compared with only a 2-fold increase in PKC3 cells. PKC overexpression also inhibited thrombin-stimulated production of 1,2-diacylglycerol, the other product of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis, by 73% at 15 s. In permeabilized cells, PKC overexpression greatly reduced guanosine thiotriphosphate-stimulated InsP3 accumulation, but did not affect InsP3 stimulation by increased free calcium concentration. These data suggest that desensitization of thrombin-stimulated phosphoinositide-phospholipase C is enhanced by PKC-beta 1 overexpression and may involve modulation of G-protein/phospholipase C coupling. In contrast, thrombin was 4.5-fold more effective in stimulation of phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase D activity in PKC3 cells than in control cells, as determined by phosphatidylethanol formation. In permeabilized cells, guanosine thiotriphosphate also stimulated phospholipase D activity more effectively in PKC3 cells than in control cells, suggesting that upregulation of phospholipase D activity by PKC overexpression occurs distal to the thrombin receptor. These results suggest that PKC may act as a switch to up-regulate phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase D and down-regulate phosphoinositide-phospholipase C stimulations.

Animals↗