Cyclic AMP as a negative regulator of DNA synthesis in FRSK cells, a fetal rat epidermal cell line.

In FRSK cells, a cell line derived from fetal rat epidermal cells, cyclic AMP-elevating agents forskolin (10 microM) and cholera toxin (10 ng/ml) increased cellular cyclic AMP content and suppressed [3H] thymidine incorporation. These effects of forskolin were enhanced by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (0.1 mM). Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (1 mM), an analog of cyclic AMP, decreased not only basal but also both tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate- and epidermal growth factor-stimulated [3H] thymidine incorporation. From these results, we suggest that cyclic AMP may be a negative regulatory factor of DNA synthesis in FRSK cells.