Reduced Adenyl Cyclase Activity in a Polyoma Virus Transformed Cell Line

Abstract

THERE is now substantial evidence that the intracellular concentration of adenosine 3′5′ cyclic monophosphate (cyclic-AMP) is an important factor in the hormone regulation of some specialized functions of the cells of a number of tissues^1,2. The intracellular level of cyclic-AMP is chiefly determined by the balance between its formation from 5′ATP by adenyl cyclase and its degradation to 5′AMP by a specific 3′5′ cyclic phosphodiesterase. If this balance were altered by mutation, teratogenic differentiation, or infection, there could be profound changes in the functions of the cell. An alteration leading to a lower level of cyclic-AMP might lead to the increased aerobic glycolysis and decreased specialized function commonly observed after neoplastic transformation (chemical, “spontaneous” or viral). This paper presents indirect evidence that increased levels of cyclic-AMP may decrease cell growth in culture and describes an attempt to test the hypothesis that the regulation of cyclic-AMP levels differs in “normal” and virus transformed cells.