PROTEIN KINASE C IS ACTIVATED BY TUMOR PROMOTORS AND THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT IT ACTUALLY MEDIATES TUMOR PROMOTION.

PROTEIN KINASE C IS ACTIVATED BY TUMOR PROMOTORS AND THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT IT ACTUALLY MEDIATES TUMOR PROMOTION. ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE C PHOSPHORYLATES THE EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR GUANYLATE CYCLASE AND SEVERAL OTHER POTENTIALLY REGULATORY PROTEINS; THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PHOSPHORYLATION IS UNDER STUDY IN A NUMBER OF LABORATORIES. IN PHASE I, ONCOGENE SCIENCE WILL (1) DETERMINE THE SUBSTRATE SPECIFICITY OF PROTEIN KINASE C FOR DEFINED SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES; (2) PRODUCEANTIBODIES AGAINST THE OPTIMIZED PEPTIDE SUBSTRATE; (3) SYNTHESIZE INHIBITORS OF PROTEIN KINASE C; (4) DEVELOP SPECIFIC ASSAYS FOR PROTEIN KINASE C-CATALYZED PHOSPHORYLA- TION; AND (5) DEVELOP FLUORESCENT PEPTIDES TO VISUALIZE PROTEIN KINASE C IN CELLS. THE RESULTS OF PHASE I RESEARCH WILL POINT THE WAY TOWARD DESIGN OF A SERUM-BASED DIAGNOSTICASSAY FOR PROTEIN KINASE C AND WILL POTENTIALLY LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT OF POTENT INHIBITORS OF PROTEIN KINASE C. THESEINHIBITORS OF TUMOR PROMOTION COULD BE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL. PROTEIN KINASE C INHIBITORS MIGHT ALSO HAVE APPLICATION IN THE AREAS OF CANCER TREATMENT, IMMUNOMODULATION, AND CANCER RESEARCH.