Résumé : The effects of phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu) on phosphatidylbutanol (PtdBut) generation in [3H]palmitate- or [3H]myristate-prelabeled dog thyroid slices were measured to assess the activity of phospholipase-D (PLD) in the presence or absence of the two inhibitors of protein kinase-C (PKC), staurosporine (STSP) and calphostin-C. The actions of the same agents on [3H]cytidine monophosphate-phosphatidic acid accumulation were also determined to evaluate phosphatidic (PA) generation and inositol recycling to phosphatidylinositol. The effluxes of [3H]choline and [3H]ethanolamine induced by the phorbol ester from prelabeled slices were also evaluated. PDBu (5 x 10(-9) to 5 x 10(-6) M) potently stimulated PLD activity, with a concomitant increase in fatty acids incorporation in phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho). However, under no condition did the phorbol ester result in cytidine monophosphate-phosphatidic acid accumulation. It stimulated the efflux of choline and ethanolamine while decreasing choline and ethanolamine phosphates in the slices and incubation medium. Calphostin-C, inhibiting PKC, decreased PtdBut and PtdCho formation induced by the phorbol ester, as opposed to STSP (5 x 10(-6) M), which did not affect these actions of PDBu and, moreover, reproduced by itself the effects of the phorbol ester on choline efflux and PtdBut generation despite efficient inhibition of other effects of PKC. These data demonstrate the existence in thyroid tissue of a PLD-hydrolyzing PtdCho, which was stimulated by phorbol esters and STSP. They also suggest that the PA formed after PKC stimulation and subsequent PLD activation is channeled toward PtdCho resynthesis when intracellular Ca2+ is not increased, whereas the PA accumulated with a concomitant increase in intracellular Ca2+ is diverted toward phosphatidylinositol synthesis. The physiological relevance of this Ca-independent stimulation of a PKC-coupled PLD in thyroid metabolism could be related to the growth-inducing and dedifferentiating effects of the phorbol esters.