Ca2+ and protein kinase C have both been proposed as intracellular signals for subsequent phosphatidylcholine secretion by alveolar Type II cells. We have determined the relative roles of Ca2+ and protein kinase C in regulating surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion by utilizing exogenous ATP and the phorbol ester TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate) as secretagogues, along with MAPTAM to chelate intracellular Ca2+ and sphingosine to inhibit endogenous protein kinase C. Exposure of Type II cells to the P2-purinoceptor agonist, ATP, results in a dose-dependent increase in surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion from isolated alveolar Type II cells with an EC50 (concn. producing 50% of maximal response) of 2 microM. Administration of exogenous ATP to Type II cells also results in a dose-dependent increase in inositol trisphosphate production, Ca2+ mobilization and [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ([3H]PDBu) binding as a measure of protein kinase C translocation. The EC50 in each case is 1-5 microM, indicating association of these events with surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion. Loading Type II cells with non-hydrolysable GTP analogue (GTP[S]) inhibited ATP-induced Ca2+ mobilization, supporting the hypothesis that Type II cell P2-purinoceptors are coupled to phospholipase C via a GTP-binding protein. The ATP-induced elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ was also inhibited by MAPTAM (a cell-permeant EGTA analogue) by 90%, but MAPTAM was without effect on surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion induced by ATP. Sphingosine inhibited both ATP- and TPA-induced surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion as well as [3H]PDBu binding with a similar IC50 (concn. producing 50% of maximal inhibition) (10 microM). Sphingosine did not affect surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion induced by terbutaline and did not have a significant effect on Ca2+ mobilization induced by exogenous ATP. These results are consistent with a prominent role for protein kinase C in regulation of P2-purinoceptor-induced surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion, and indicate that Ca2+ mobilization is not a necessary step for ATP-induced surfactant phosphatidylcholine secretion.