The requirement of p47 phosphorylation for activation of NADPH oxidase by opsonized zymosan in human neutrophils

Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, staurosporine or 1,5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7), inhibited NADPH oxidase activity and phosphorylation of 47 kDa protein (p47) in PMA-stimulated neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner. These PKC inhibitors, at the same doses, did not affect oxidase activity and caused only partial inhibition of p47 phosphorylation in OZ-stimulated neutrophils. There was residual (20%) phosphorylated p47 in the membranes of OZ-stimulated cells in the presence of PKC inhibitors, at concentrations which caused total inhibition of oxidase activity and p47 phosphorylation in PMA-stimulated neutrophils. In the presence of ionomycin, which increased intracellular calcium ion concentrations, staurosporine was less effective in inhibiting both superoxide generation and p47 phosphorylation stimulated by PMA, similar to its effect in OZ-stimulated cells. The results indicate that some phosphorylation of p47 always accompanied oxidase activation induced by PMA or OZ, though the degree of phosphorylation of membrane-bound p47 does not directly correlate with rates of superoxide production.