Inhibition of protein kinase C epsilon causes ciliated bovine bronchial cell detachment.

This study defines the in vitro phenomenon of ciliated bovine bronchial epithelial cell (BBEC) detachment from the basal epithelium and regulation of cilia motility mediated through protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon). The authors determined the time course of activation and downregulation of PKCepsilon by the known PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and demonstrate that chemical inhibition of PKC by calphostin C or the novel PKC isoform inhibitor Ro 31-8220 induced striking detachment of ciliated BBECs from the basal cell monolayer within 1 hour, independent of apoptosis or necrotic cell death. The results of this study support a possible novel PKCepsilon-mediated signaling pathway through which ciliated cell attachment is maintained.