Abstract

In this study we explored the pattern of protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme selectivity of the bryostatins, a unique class of PKC activators that induce only a subset of the typical phorbol ester responses and antagonize those phorbol ester-mediated responses that they themselves fail to induce. The binding properties of individual recombinant PKC isozymes that had been expressed in insect cells, isolated, and reconstituted in Triton X-100/phosphatidylserine mixed micelles were determined. [3H]Bryostatin 1 showed lower affinity for PKC-beta 1 and -gamma, compared with PKC-alpha, -delta, -epsilon, and -eta. This pattern contrasts with that observed for other PKC ligands. These latter assays were conducted with isozymes reconstituted in phosphatidylserine, conditions that unfortunately do not permit quantitation of bryostatin 1 binding under equilibrium conditions. Using delta 19,20-bryostatin 10 and delta 19,20-isobryostatin 10, we could distinguish the respective roles of ligand and lipid in the pattern of selectivity. When isozymes were reconstituted in phosphatidylserine vesicles, delta 19,20-bryostatin 10 and delta 19,20-isobryostatin 10 showed similar affinities for PKC-alpha and -gamma, similarly to the phorbol esters. However, in the mixed micellar system, PKC-gamma showed a significantly lower binding affinity, as had been observed for bryostatin 1. These results suggest that the unique pattern of biological responses to the bryostatins does not represent a unique pattern of isotype recognition. Furthermore, the lipid environment of PKC plays an important role in determining the binding selectivity for individual isozymes.