cAMP enhances CSF-1-induced ERK activity and c-fos mRNA expression via a MEK-dependent and Ras-independent mechanism in macrophages

Inhibition of MAPK by elevated intracellular cAMP has often been correlated with suppression of growth factor-induced proliferation. However, in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) we show that the cAMP analogue, 8-bromo cAMP (8BrcAMP) (1mM), despite being a dramatic G1 phase proliferation inhibitor, increased ERK activity both in the absence and presence of CSF-1; these increases were blocked by PD98059 (100 microM) suggesting MEK dependence. In contrast, CSF-1-stimulated p21Ras activity was blocked by 8BrcAMP thus correlating with the inhibition of proliferation. This is the first report to indicate that elevated intracellular cAMP can activate ERK activity while inhibiting proliferation and the data support the concept in CSF-1-treated macrophages of Ras-independent activation of ERK activity. It was also found that the acute but not the sustained elevation of c-fos mRNA expression due to 8BrcAMP was also MEK dependent indicating that there are separate pathways controlling c-fos mRNA expression in BMM.