Allyl alcohol activation of protein kinase C δ leads to cytotoxicity of rat hepatocytes

Hepatotoxicity of allyl alcohol involves its bioactivation to acrolein and subsequent protein sulfhydryl loss and lipid peroxidation. However, the links between these events and hepatocellular death are not known. The purpose of these studies was to examine whether specific signal transduction pathways are associated with allyl alcohol toxicity in hepatocytes. Inhibition or augmentation of cyclic AMP and/or protein kinase A (PKA) by Rp-Ado-3N,5N-cyclic monophosphorothioate triethylamine salt or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine had no effect on allyl alcohol-induced cell death. H-7, an inhibitor of PKA, PKC, and PKG, partially inhibited cell killing by allyl alcohol, whereas chelerythrine chloride, a nonselective PKC inhibitor, almost completely abolished allyl alcohol cytotoxicity. Neither 2,2N,3,3N,4,4N-hexahydroxy-1,1N,-biphenyl-6,6N-dimethanol-dimethyl ether, a selective PKCalpha and beta inhibitor, nor bisindolylmaleimide I, an inhibitor of PKC alpha, beta and epsilon, had any effect on allyl alcohol cytotoxicity. In contrast, rottlerin, a selective PKCdelta inhibitor, blocked hepatocellular killing by allyl alcohol. Cytoprotection by chelerythrine chloride and rottlerin was not the result of inhibition of bioactivation of allyl alcohol because each inhibitor also prevented cell death from acrolein. Western blotting and immunohistochemical techniques revealed that allyl alcohol stimulated phosphorylation and translocation of PKCdelta to hepatocyte membranes (i.e., activation), and this activity was inhibited by rottlerin. Cell death appeared to occur via oncotic necrosis rather than apoptosis based on single-stranded DNA ELISA and propidium iodide staining. Together, these results indicate that activation of PKCdelta is a critical, early event in initiating hepatocyte injury and death from allyl alcohol.