Apparent "activation" of protein kinases by okadaic acid class tumor promoters.

A cytosolic fraction of mouse brain gave two peaks of protein kinase activity on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The first peak of protein kinase corresponded to protein kinase C. The second peak contained protein kinases that were "activated" dose-dependently by the okadaic acid class tumor promoters, okadaic acid and dinophysistoxin-1. This "activation" was not achieved by other tumor promoters, such as 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, teleocidin, aplysiatoxin, or palytoxin. In addition, the second peak contained phosphatases. The phosphate liberation from phosphorylated histone type III-S by incubation with the second peak was inhibited by okadaic acid or dinophysistoxin-1, dose-dependently. The resulting apparent "activation" of protein kinases by okadaic acid is indicated and would imply a new pathway of tumor promotion on mouse skin.