The actions of inhibitors of diacylglycerol kinase and diacylglycerol lipase on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells.

1. RHC 80267 and R59 022 are selective inhibitors of diacylglycerol (DAG) lipase and DAG kinase enzymes respectively. These inhibitors were examined with regard to their effects on oleoylacetylglycerol (OAG)-and anti-IgE- induced histamine secretion in rat peritoneal mast cells. 2. RHC 80267, 10 microM and R59 022, 50 microM both enhanced OAG-induced histamine release by 30% and 40% respectively. 3. In the concentration range 3-30 microM, R59 022 enhanced anti-IgE-induced histamine release by up to about 40%, whereas RHC 80267 was without effect. 4. The enhancement of anti-IgE-induced histamine release by R59 022 is consistent with a role for protein kinase C in transducing immunological signals to rat peritoneal mast cells. 5. The lack of effect of RHC 80267 in this situation may indicate that in the mast cell, DAG kinase is more active than DAG lipase in degrading physiological levels of DAG.