cAMP, an activator of protein kinase A, suppresses the expression of sonic hedgehog.

In Drosophila, it has been shown that protein kinase A and hedgehog have antagonistic actions during the formation of imaginal disks. In vertebrate skin, sonic hedgehog is expressed specifically in the feather bud epithelia. using an in vitro explant culture model we showed that dibutyryl cAMP, a protein kinase A (PKA) activator, suppresses the expression of Sonic hedgehog, (Shh) and continuous feather growth. The results suggest that Shh and PKA also have antagonistic action during vertebrate skin morphogenesis.