Phorbol ester stimulates membrane association of protein kinase C and inhibits spontaneous Ca/sup 2 +/ dependent sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca/sup 2 +/ release in rat cardiac cells

Spontaneous oscillatory Ca/sup 2 +/ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) occurs in rat cardiac myocytes at hyperpolarized membrane potentials and is manifested as contractile waves (W). W frequency varies with SR functional status and cell Ca/sup 2 +/ loading. In myocyte suspensions (Hepes buffer, 37/sup 0/C (Ca/sup 2 +/) = 1.0mM) phorbol myristate acetate, PMA, (10/sup -7/ M) increased protein kinase C activity in membranes as a fraction of total (PKCAM) fivefold with a t 1/2 of < 30 sec (n = 3) and decreased W frequency in individual myocytes (n = 8). This effect varied directly and linearly with baseline W frequency, r = .94, p < .001). Dioctanoyl glycerol (10 ..mu.. M) had a similar effect on W. The PMA effect to decrease W frequency could be a direct one on SR or result from a reduction in cell Ca/sup 2 +/. The time course of PKCAM change is sufficiently rapid for it to mediate the effect on W. Thus, enhanced PKCAM may exert negative feedback control on Ca/sup 2 +/ mobilization during ..cap alpha..-adrenergic stimulation.