Effect of dibutyryl cyclic AMP on the restoration of contact inhibition in tumor cells and its relationship to cell density and the cell cycle

Induction of reverse transformation and normal cell cycle regulation by dibutyryl cAMP in a chemically transformed cell line

The objective of this study was to determine whether N6, O2-dibutyryl 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (db-cAMP)-induced reverse transformation in a chemically transformed mouse cell line, AKR-MCA, would restore normal cell cycle regulation, particularly with regard to their growth arrest in the early G1 period. The AKR-MCA cells were grown to confluency in the presence or absence of db-cAMP (0.5 mM) plus theophylline (1 mM). The confluent cultures were trypsinized and a portion of the cells were fused with mitotic HeLa cells to induce premature chromosome condensation, while the remaining cells were used to study the kinetics of initiation of DNA synthesis. The prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCC) of the control and the treated cultures were classified into G1, S, or G2 types on the basis of their morphology. The G1 PCC were further subclassified into six groups (+1 - +6); +1 being the most condensed and +6 the most decondensed. The cyclic AMP (cAMP)-treated cells exhibited better attachment to the culture dish, were blocked in early G1 period at confluency, and entered S phase about 4 h later than the control following subculturing. In contrast, a majority of cells in the control cultures were arrested in S phase at confluency. These data indicate that the db-cAMP-induced reverse transformation in AKR-MCA cells at least partially restores normal cell cycle regulation in these chemically transformed cells.

Kinetics of cAMP inhibition of DNA synthesis in bovine adrenocortical cells

cAMP-treated bovine adrenocortical cells are arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Removal of serum also arrests bovine adrenocortical cells in G1. In the presence of cAMP, serum and fibroblast growth factor stimulate increases in medium cell volume, but DNA synthesis is not initiated. Under these conditions cAMP increases steroidogenic capacity 7- to 10-fold as assessed by metabolism of pregnenolone to fluorogenic steroids. When the kinetics of entry of cells into S phase are quantitated, serum- and FGF-treated cells initiate DNA synthesis at an exponential rate after a 12-h lag. In contrast when cAMP is removed, cells immediately initiate DNA synthesis without a lag at a similar exponential rate (6.3 and 5.3% of the cells entering S/h). In the presence of growth factors, cAMP-treated bovine adrenocortical cells are thus hypertrophied with increased steroidogenic capacity, but are reversibly arrested at the G1/S boundary. These findings suggest that cAMP arrests cell replication by mechanisms distinct from those of serum deprivation.

Surface ATPase activity at cell-cell contacts in hepatic parenchymal cells and in cAMP-treated hepatoma cells in monolayer culture

Histochemical investigation shows that ATPase activity is located intensively on the surface of cell contacts in hepatoma cells grown in confluent monolayer culture. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline-treated hepatoma cells which exhibit contact-inhibited growth show the absence of localization of intense ATPase activity at cell-cell contacts. However, after removal of these additives the activity fully recovers to the intense level of control cells, when the release of cells from contact inhibition of growth occurs. Cultured hepatic parenchymal cells in monolayer have little or no ATPase activity at their surface immediately after contacts are established, and again after growth to a confluent state. In a different type of hepatoma cell which is less malignant and forms a small tissue mass or island, cell surface ATPase activity at cell-cell contacts in an island is very weak or scarcely detected even when cells are not treated with dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline.

The deficiency of cyclic AMP responsive G1 controls in cultured malignant liver epithelial cells

Normal rat liver epithelial cells in culture were blocked outside the S phase by dibutyryl cyclic AMP while malignant rat liver epithelial cells were slowed in S phase. It is suggested that this lack of normal response to a growth inhibitory factor by malignant cells may underly their relatively autonomous growth behavior.

Factors regulating growth and pigmentation of melanoma cells

Growth and melanization are intimately related in melanoma cells. MSH, by promoting elevated cyclic AMP levels, causes increases in melanization, cessation of growth, and gross morphologic changes in Cloudman S-91 melanoma cells. Growth inhibition results from high levels of cyclic AMP while growth stimulation occurs with lower levels. During melanization, oxidation products of tyrosine are generated which are toxic to the cells. Genetic studies have revealed that some of these processes are related through common biochemical pathways. This article reviews work of recent years on such regulatory mechanisms in melanoma.

Cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, and glucocorticoids as potential metabolic regulators of epidermal proliferation and differentiation

The two cyclic nucleotides, cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP, appear to be central to the metabolic regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation in various cells. Moreover, in many systems glucocorticoids appear to act in concert with or parallel to cyclic AMP. The available evidence suggests that these three molecular species--cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, and glucocorticoids--may be essential to the normal regulation of epidermal proliferation and differentiation. In 1970, we suggested that perturbed epidermal homeostasis, exemplified by psoriasis, might be associated with low cellular levels of cyclic AMP and, in 1972, with high levels of cyclic GMP as well. Subsequent measurements of these two cyclic nucleotides in our laboratory showed a probable reduction in the cyclic AMP/cyclic GMP ratio in lesional psoriatic tissue. This led to the hypothesis that the cardinal features of psoriatic epidermis--glycogen accumulation, excessive proliferation, and reduced cell specialization--are the results of this reduced ratio. A corollary of this hypothesis was that a psoriatic lesion could not begin or exist without this altered cyclic nucleotide ratio. Recently, four different agents--lithium, a beta adrenergic blocking agent, antimalarials, and iodide--have been found to exacerbate psoriasis and to reduce the formation of cyclic AMP in various tissues. Consequently we believe that cyclic nucleotides are of central importance in the pathogenesis of the epidermal component of psoriasis.