Overview:

Protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) is a member of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine-threonine kinases. It is a 79 kDa protein kinase that shows strict dependence on the presence of phospholipids, but shows no activation by Ca2+ (1). Protein kinase C theta (PKCθ) is important component in the intracellular signaling cascade (2). Recent studies have suggested that local accumulation of fat metabolites inside skeletal muscle may activate a serine kinase cascade involving PKC-theta leading to defects in insulin signaling and glucose transport in skeletal muscle (3).

References:

1. Leibersperger, H. et al: Immunological demonstration of a calcium-unresponsive protein kinase C of the delta-type in different species and murine tissues. Predominance in epidermis. J Biol Chem. 1991 Aug 5; 266(22):14778-84.2. Manicassamy, S. and Sun, Z. The critical role of protein kinase C-theta in Fas/Fas ligand-mediated apoptosis. J. Immunol. 2007; 178(1):312-9. 3. Kim, J K. et al: PKC-theta knockout mice are protected from fat-induced insulin resistance. J. Clin. Invest. 2004; 114(6):823-7.