Properties of acidic saccharides produced by B16 melanoma cells treated with 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine.

A cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, promoted the differentiation and maturation of B16 melanoma cells, phenomena associated with biological alterations in the surface properties of the cells. 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthien inhibited cell replication and increased the intracellular content of melanin and cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate. Significantly greater amounts of sialoglycoproteins were associated with 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine-treated cells. However, the total amount of [3H] glucosamine incorporated into anionic polysaccharide (both sialoglycopeptide and mucopolysaccharides) was not significantly changed.