C-PKC-dependent modulation of plasma fibrinogen levels during the acute-phase response in young and old rats

Abstract

The expression and subcellular distribution of liver cPKC α and β, nPKC δ and aPKC ζ isoenzymes and the plasma levels of fibrinogen were measured in young, 2- and 6-month-old, and aged, 24-month-old, normal and turpentine-treated rats, to induce an aseptic inflammatory condition and the acute-phase response. In young and old rats a down-regulated expression of cPKC α and, to a lesser extent, β isoenzymes, was observed 8 h after turpentine administration, i.e. at times preceding the maximal expression of fibrinogen mRNA. Under these conditions, the plasma fibrinogen levels peaked by 24 h in young animals, being up to 7-fold over the values of untreated controls at 72 h. By contrast, old untreated control rats showed 4-fold increases of basal plasma fibrinogen levels compared with young controls, with down-regulated expression of cPKC α. In old rats, treatment with turpentine increased up to 1.9-fold over the basal control values the fibrinogen concentration within 72 h. Levels similar to those of young turpentine-treated animals were reached at this time. The results of this study suggest a prominent role for cPKC α in eliciting the synthesis of fibrinogen after inducing an acute-phase response with turpentine administration in young as well as old rats. This isoform may act by regulating the serine phosphorylation of Stat3 transcription factor, whose activation is under IL-6 control, a multifunctional cytokine that is proving to be a major contributor to the acute-phase response. No evidence for a role of aPKC ζ or of nPKC δ was demonstrated under these conditions.