Cyclic AMP blocks cell growth through Raf-1-dependent and Raf-1-independent mechanisms

Mol Cell Biol. 2002 Jun;22(11):3717-28. doi: 10.1128/MCB.22.11.3717-3728.2002.

Abstract

It is widely accepted that cyclic AMP (cAMP) can block cell growth by phosphorylating Raf-1 on serine 43 and inhibiting signaling to extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase. We show that the suppression of Raf-1 by cAMP is considerably more complex than previously reported. When cellular cAMP is elevated, Raf-1 is phosphorylated on three residues (S43, S233, and S259), which work independently to block Raf-1. Both Ras-dependent and Ras-independent processes are disrupted. However, when cAMP-insensitive versions of Raf-1 are expressed in NIH 3T3 cells, their growth is still strongly suppressed when cAMP is elevated. Thus, although Raf-1 appears to be an important cAMP target, other pathways are also targeted by cAMP, providing alternative mechanisms that lead to suppression of cell growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / pharmacology
  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Division / physiology*
  • Colforsin / pharmacology
  • Cyclic AMP / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Colforsin
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf
  • 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine