Protein kinase C and adenylate cyclase as targets for growth inhibition of human gastric cancer cells.

In the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS the effects of the protein-kinase-C-activating phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), the protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine, the adenylate-cyclase activating agent forskolin, and the permeable dibutyryl-adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) on the proliferation were assessed. Cell counting followed 5 days of incubation. Prolonged activation of protein kinase C by TPA, inhibition of protein kinase C by staurosporine, activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin or a direct increase of the intracellular cAMP level all result in a dose-dependent growth inhibition of AGS gastric tumour cells. Half-maximal inhibition was achieved at 100 pM for TPA, 1 nM for staurosporine, 20 microM for forskolin, and 600 microM for Bt2cAMP. It is concluded that protein kinase C and adenylate cyclase play a fundamental role in the growth of AGS gastric cancer cells. Interference with these enzymes involved in the signal transduction of growth regulation in tumour cells may represent a target in the development of new antiproliferative principles.