Stimulation of phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) has been shown to be mediated by the ␣-and I-isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC). To determine the role of various PKC isozymes in the regulation of PLD-mediated phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) hydrolysis, MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells overexpressing the ␣-and -isoforms, and R6 rat fibroblasts overexpressing the ␣-, I-, and ⑀-isoforms were used. In the vector control MCF-7 cells, which contain low levels of PKC-␣, PMA (100 nM) had only small effects on the hydrolysis of PtdEtn (1.1-1.35-fold) and PtdCho (1.15-1.6-fold). Stable expression of PKC-␣ in MCF-7 cells, which was accompanied by increased levels of the I-and -isoforms as well, greatly enhanced both PMA-induced PLD-mediated formation of phosphatidylethanol (ϳ5-fold) and the hydrolysis of PtdEtn (2.5-2.9-fold) and PtdCho (5.5-7.2-fold). The effects of PMA on the hydrolysis of PtdEtn (and PtdCho) in MCF-7/PKC-␣ cells were significantly inhibited by 0.5-3 M concentrations of Gö 6976, a selective inhibitor of the conventional PKC subfamily. Stable expression of PKC-␣ in R6 fibroblasts enhanced, at a shorter (10 min) incubation time, the effects of PMA on the hydrolysis of both PtdEtn and, to a lesser extent, PtdCho. In contrast, stable expression of PKC-I in R6 fibroblasts, which originally did not contain this enzyme, enhanced the effects of PMA only on PtdCho, but not PtdEtn, hydrolysis. Overexpression of either PKC-in MCF-7 cells or PKC-⑀ in R6 and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts had no detectable effects on PMA-induced hydrolysis of PtdEtn. Collectively, the results suggest that PKC-␣ has a major role in the mediation of phorbol ester action on PtdEtn hydrolysis, while PtdCho hydrolysis may be regulated by both the ␣ and I isoforms.In many cell lines activators of phospholipase D (PLD), 1 including the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), appear to stimulate only the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) (1, 2). In MadinDarby canine kidney cells (3) and in Swiss/3T3 cells (4) PKC-␣ was shown to be a major regulator of PtdCho hydrolysis. However, expression of PKC-I (5) or addition of PKC-I to isolated membranes (6, 7) also enhanced the effect of PMA on PtdCho hydrolysis. Interestingly, while PKC-␣ was a more effective mediator of PMA effect in lung fibroblast membranes than PKC-I (6), a reversed order of potency was observed in neutrophil membranes (7). Collectively, these data suggest that if expressed, both PKC-␣ and PKC-I may be able to regulate PtdCho hydrolysis.The role of increased PtdCho hydrolysis in the mediation of cellular actions of PKC activators is unknown. Recently, we presented evidence showing that in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts PtdCho hydrolysis is unlikely to play a major role in the mediation of mitogenic effects of PMA (8). In fact, choline phosphate, which in agonist-treated cells can be formed by the sequential actions of PLD and choline kinase, and PMA were found to sti...