Physiological cyclic AMP stimulation and oncogene mRNA levels in HL-60 cells.

Altered gene expression of the proto-oncogenes c-fos and c-myc is associated with differentiation of the human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. We studied changes of cyclic AMP levels and c-fos and c-myc mRNA levels after stimulation with theophylline and theophylline plus isoproterenol. Reduced c-fos and c-myc mRNA levels were detected, but the reduction could not, however, be related to the observed alternations in cyclic AMP concentrations. Expression of c-jun and c-Ha-ras was not affected under these conditions.