Stimulation of alveolar macrophages (AM) with adenosine-5-diphosphate (ADP) results in transient production of superoxide anion radical (O2.-; superoxide) and H2O2 in a metabolic event known as the respiratory burst. Initiation of the respiratory burst appears to depend on activation of protein kinase activity, whereas protein phosphatases might involved in termination of the burst. The involvement of protein kinase C was suggested by inhibition by bisindolylmaleimide I (GF 109203X), a relatively specific inhibitor. KN-62, an inhibitor of calcium-calmodulin protein kinase II, also partly inhibited the respiratory burst stimulated by ADP and phorbol esters. The role of protein phosphatases in termination of the ADP-stimulated respiratory burst of AM was examined with calyculin A (CA) (25-75 nM) or okadaic acid (OA) (1-5 microM), two inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and 2a (PP1;PP2a). A dose-dependent prolongation of the respiratory burst was observed in the presence of these inhibitors. CA and OA also markedly enhanced the rate of superoxide production stimulated by ADP, consistent with involvement of PP1/PP2a in regulating both the rate of activation and timing of termination. Treatment of AM with cyclosporin A (CsA) (1-50 microM), an inhibitor of the calcium-dependent protein phosphatase 2b (PP2b), stimulated superoxide production by itself and significantly prolonged the duration of ADP-stimulated superoxide production. CsA, however, did not increase the ADP-stimulated rate of superoxide production. Thus, PP1/PP2a appear to be the primary phosphatases for controlling the intensity of the respiratory burst during receptor-elicited superoxide production in AM, whereas PP1/PP2a and PP2b play a role in turning off the respiratory burst.