Abstract
Protein kinase C (PKC)-theta is a newly recognized major PKC isoform in skeletal muscle. In this study we found that insulin provoked rapid biphasic increases in membrane-associated immunoreactive PKC-theta, as well as PKC-alpha, PKC-beta and PKC-epsilon, in rat soleus muscles incubated in vitro. Effects of insulin on PKC isoforms in the soleus were comparable in magnitude with those of phorbol esters. Increases in membrane-associated PKC-theta, PKC-alpha, PKC-beta and PKC-epsilon were also observed in rat gastrocnemius muscles after insulin treatment in vivo. Our findings suggest that PKC-theta, like other diacylglycerol-sensitive PKC isoforms (alpha, beta and epsilon), may play a role in insulin action in skeletal muscles.