Elevated cAMP is required for stimulation of eicosanoid synthesis by interleukin 1 and bradykinin in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts

In Swiss 3T3, murine fibroblasts, interleukin 1 (IL‐1) and bradykinin stimulate prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) synthesis. However, in the present study, we found that neither agonist stimulated PGE 2 synthesis in BALB/c 3T3 murine fibroblasts, this in spite of expression of similar numbers of receptors for each agonist compared to Swiss 3T3 cells. When BALB/c 3T3 cells were preincubated with cAMP analogs, both IL‐1 and bradykinin stimulated PGE 2 synthesis to levels similar to those observed in Swiss 3T3 cells. Similarly, when the cells were preincubated with forskolin, which activates the catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase directly, or NECA, which stimulates cellular cAMP accumulation by activating adenosine receptors, IL‐1 and bradykinin stimulated PGE 2 synthesis. Rp‐cAMPS, an inhibitor of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase, blocked the ability of cAMP or NECA to render cells responsive to IL‐1 and bradykinin. In basal BALB/c 3T3 cells, bradykinin and IL‐1 stimulated arachidonate release in the absence of cAMP, but little conversion of released arachidonate to PGE 2 occurred. cAMP, forskolin, and NECA all increased cyclooxygenase activity in the cells. SV‐T 2 is a clonal line originating from BALB/c 3T3 transformed with SV‐40. In these cells, IL‐1 and bradykinin stimulated PGE 2 svnthesis despite basal intracellular cAMP concentrations similar to BALB/c, and cAMP only modestly potentiated the response. In summary, cyclooxygenase expression appears to be regulated by cAMP in BALB/c 3T3 cells, and SV‐40 transformation results in increased cyclooxygenase expression, apparently independent of cAMP. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.