Caffeine and other phosphodiesterase inhibitors are potent inhibitors of the promotional effect of TPA on morphological transformation of hamster embryo cells.

The phosphodiesterase inhibitors caffeine, theophylline, aminophylline and isobutyl-methylxanthine (IBMX) were found to inhibit induction of morphologically transformed hamster embryo cell colonies by sequential exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and the tumor promoter TPA. Almost complete inhibition of cell transformation was observed when 50 micrograms/ml theophylline, aminophylline, IBMX, or 200 micrograms/ml caffeine was present together with the tumor promoter. The compounds had no effect on the transformation frequency when present together with the initiator, BaP, in the first exposure period. Substances that stimulate the adenylate cyclase and the addition of exogenous dibutyryl-cAMP had similar inhibitory effects.