A major factor in secondary brain injury following cerebral trauma is accumulation of lactic acid resulting in glial swelling. Further, evidence obtained in this context demonstrates activation of protein kinase C (PKC) under these circumstances. Glial swelling from acidosis is attributable to activation of the Na+/H(+)-exchanger, mediating influx of Na(+)-ions in exchange for the extrusion of H+ ions. The antiporter is activated following phosphorylation by PKC. The current study was made to elucidate the role of PKC activation in acidosis-induced glial swelling. For that purpose, suspended C6 glioma cells were used to examine changes of the cell volume and intracellular pH (pHi). Acidosis was induced by administration of isotonic lactic acid. Stimulation of PKC by the phorbol-ester PMA was significantly enhancing glial swelling from severe acidosis (pH 6.2), whereas the decrease of pHi was somewhat attenuated. On the other side, inhibition of PKC by staurosporine did not affect cell swelling nor the decrease of pHi from acidosis. The results indicate that activation of PKC in cerebral trauma or ischemia may enhance glial swelling from lactacidosis.