The Protein Kinase C (PKC) family of proteins in cytokine signaling in hematopoiesis

The members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of proteins play important roles in signaling for various growth factors, cytokines, and hormones. Extensive work over the years has led to the identification of three major groups of PKC isoforms. These include the classic PKCs (PKCα, PKCβ_I, PKCβ_II, PKC_γ), the novel PKCs (PKCδ, PKCε, PKCη, PKCμ, PKCθ), and the atypical PKCs (PKCζ, PKCι/λ). All these PKC subtypes have been shown to participate in the generation of signals for important cellular processes and to mediate diverse and, in some cases, opposing biologic responses. There is emerging evidence that these kinases also play key functional roles in the regulation of cell growth, apoptosis, and differentiation of hematopoietic cells. In this review, both the engagement of the various PKC members in cytokine and growth factor signaling and their role in the regulation of hematopoiesis are discussed.