Human term placental explants were used to investigate the possible role of phospholipid-sensitive and Ca2+ dependent protein kinase in the regulation of human placental progesterone production. Placental tissue was incubated with low density lipoprotein as a precursor of progesterone in the presence or the absence of phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol, and the calcium ionophore A23187. The rate of progesterone production by placental tissue was 21.7 +/- 4.6 ng. (mg wet wt)-1.(2 h)-1 (mean +/- SEM) with 500 mg low density lipoprotein/l (control). The rate of progesterone production was accelerated 2-fold by 1 nmol/l phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate, 1.6-fold by 250 mumol/l 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol and this increase was dose-related (25-250 mumol/l 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol). A nonpromoting derivative, 4 alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate had no effect. The phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate or 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol induced stimulation of progesterone production was not associated with a change in the intracellular cAMP level. Addition of 10 mumol/l A23187 further increased progesterone production with 125 mumol/l 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol. The rate of progesterone production was accelerated 1.6-fold by 125 mumol/l 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol and 10 mumol/l A23187 as compared with control. The effects of the phorbol ester and the diacyl glycerol were completely blocked by the addition of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. We conclude that these phorbol regents are able to stimulate human placental progesterone production. The possible roles of intracellular Ca2+ and protein kinase C in placental steroidogenesis are discussed.