Induction of cell division in BALB/c-3T3 cells by phorbol myristate acetate or bovine serum: effects of inhibitors of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and Na+-K+-ATPase.

Cell division is induced in stationary cultures of BALB/c-3T3 mouse embryo cells without renewal of medium by addition of the tumor promoter, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), or bovine serum. The addition of dbcAMP (10(-3) M) or other inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterase, papaverine (6.7 X 10(-6) M), Persantin (5 X 10(-5) M) or RO-20-1724 (10(-4) M), prevents cell replication induced by PMA or serum. In contrast, ouabain (10(-4) M) and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (10(-5) M), inhibitors of Na+-K+-ATPase activity, block the PMA-stimulated effect but do not inhibit serum-stimulated cell division. Several stages in the cell cycle are sensitive to dbcAMP addition. One is early in the G1 phase at the time of reinitiation of the cell cycle from a stationary (Go) phase, a second is associated with the G1-S transition, and a third with passage of cells from a post-S phase to mitosis. Based on observations of early morphological changes, responses of plasma membrane enzymes and effects of enzyme inhibitors, the stimulation of cell division in BALB/c-3T3 cells by PMA or serum appears to involve several membrane functions which may act in a cooperative manner.