PACAP stimulates transcription of c-Fos and c-Jun and activates the AP-1 transcription factor in rat pancreatic carcinoma cells.

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (PACAP) strongly induces proliferation of the rat pancreatic carcinoma cell line AR4-2J via interaction with the G-protein coupled type 1 PACAP/VIP (PVI) receptor. RT-PCR analysis revealed that this mitogenic effect of PACAP is preceded by a rapid and transient increase of transcription of the protooncogene c-fos and to a lesser extent of c-jun. Transcriptional activation is abolished by a specific PACAP antagonist and by inhibitors of PKC and PKA. In parallel to c-fos/c-jun induction, PACAP rapidly activates the heterodimeric transcription factor AP-1, as shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. These findings demonstrate that signal transduction of a growth-stimulating G-protein-coupled receptor involves the c-fos/c-jun/AP-1 cascade, a pathway mainly linked to classical growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases.