Insulin, oxytocin, and vasopressin stimulate protein kinase C activity in adipocyte plasma membranes

Incubation of isolated rat adipocytes with insulin, vasopressin, or oxytocin increased plasma membrane-bound protein kinase C (PKC) activity by 100-400%. PKC activity was assayed by a procedure that is virtually background-free, thus permitting assay of protein kinase activity in highly diluted samples of solubilized membranes. Hormone-dependent increases in PKC activity were limited to plasma membranes. Stimulation of the kinase was half-maximal with 70 pM insulin, and the hormone effect was rapid. Oxytocin and vasopressin produced effects on PKC similar to insulin, but the magnitude of the vasopressin stimulation exhibited seasonal variations. Treatment of cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) resulted in a loss of PKC activity from the cytosol and a gain in plasma membrane activity, indicative of translocation of the enzyme. With activity measurements it was not possible to determine if insulin stimulated a translocation of the kinase. However, Western blot analysis of plasma membranes with polyclonal antibodies directed against PKC suggest that at least some of the insulin-stimulated PKC activity resulted from enzyme translocation.