Possible involvement of protein kinases in the serotonin (5-HT) transport system in platelets and the inhibitory effect of concanavalin A (Con A) on platelet 5-HT uptake were investigated. Staurosporine and K-252a, highly active inhibitors of protein kinases, did not inhibit 5-HT transport, but they antagonized the inhibitory effect of Con A on 5-HT uptake. KT5720, a protein kinase A inhibitor that has no effect on protein kinase C, neither affected 5-HT transport nor antagonized the inhibitory effect of Con A on 5-HT uptake. The Con A effect on 5-HT uptake was also antagonized by LaCl3, a Ca++ entry blocker. When the activity of Ca++ transport into platelets was estimated, Con A was shown to have a stimulative effect, which was antagonized by alpha-methyl-D-mannoside, a specific antagonist of Con A binding to cell membrane glycoproteins. Furthermore, Con A was shown to stimulate the protein kinase C activity of platelets, which phosphorylates a 40-kDa platelet protein; the Con A effects were antagonized by alpha-methyl-D-mannoside, staurosporine and K-252a, but not by KT5720. We suggest that the activation of protein kinase C and phosphorylation of 40-kDa protein might be involved in the inhibitory effect of Con A on platelet 5-HT transport.