Protein kinase C is the target for the tumour-promoting phorbol esters, such as tetradecanoyl-β-phorbol acetate (TPA, also known as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate). Subfamilies of protein kinase C are identified on the basis of sequence similarities, although functional division into the groups of classical protein kinase C isoforms (PKCα, PKCβ, and PKCγ) activated by Ca²⁺ and diacylglycerol, novel protein kinase C isoforms (PKCδ, PKCε, PKCη, and PKCθ) activated by diacylglycerol and atypical protein kinase C isoforms (PKCι and PKCζ) are useful.

* Key recommended reading is highlighted with an asterisk

* Igumenova TI. (2015) Dynamics and Membrane Interactions of Protein Kinase C. Biochemistry, 54 (32): 4953-68. [PMID:26214365]

* Newton AC, Brognard J. (2017) Reversing the Paradigm: Protein Kinase C as a Tumor Suppressor. Trends Pharmacol Sci, 38 (5): 438-447. [PMID:28283201]

* Reina-Campos M, Diaz-Meco MT, Moscat J. (2019) The Dual Roles of the Atypical Protein Kinase Cs in Cancer. Cancer Cell, 36 (3): 218-235. DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.07.010 [PMID:31474570]

* Salzer E, Santos-Valente E, Keller B, Warnatz K, Boztug K. (2016) Protein Kinase C δ: a Gatekeeper of Immune Homeostasis. J Clin Immunol, 36 (7): 631-40. [PMID:27541826]