Effects of protein kinase C (PKC) activator and inhibitors on adrenal catecholamine release were examined in anesthetized dogs. Output of epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NE) was determined from adrenal venous blood by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. All drugs were infused intraarterially (i.a.) into the adrenal gland through the phrenic abdominal artery. Infusion of the PKC activator phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDB 0.1 micrograms/min) increased EPI and NE output during basal state and enhanced increases in catecholamine output induced by splanchnic nerve stimulation (SNS 1 and 3 Hz). These effects of PDB were abolished by the PKC inhibitor staurosporine (SSP 0.3 microgram/min), when both drugs were infused simultaneously. Infusion of SSP (0.1, 0.3, and 1 micrograms/min) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the SNS-induced increases in EPI and NE output. SNS-induced increases in catecholamine output were also inhibited by another PKC inhibitor polymyxin B (PMB 0.1, 0.3, and 1 micrograms/min) and by the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor neomycin (NM 0.3, 1, and 3 mg/min). SSP, PMB, and NM did not affect basal output of EPI and NE. These results suggest that activation of PKC promotes release of adrenal catecholamines and provide indirect evidence that activation of PKC and PLC may be involved in SNS-induced release of catecholamines from dog adrenal gland.