Changes in cell cycle and chromatin distribution in C6 glioma cells treated by dibutyryl cyclic AMP

C6 glioma cells in culture were treated with 1 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Db-cAMP) for 5, 8, 24 and 72 h. The cells were labelled with [3H]-thymidine before either the end, or the beginning, of the Db-cAMP treatment. The cell cycle passage was monitored by the simultaneous determination of DNA content and DNA synthesis in propidium iodide stained autoradiograms. The data revealed an early (t less than or equal to 3-8 h) and moderate inhibitory effect of Db-cAMP on all phases of the cell cycle except mitosis; some cells (2%) were completely blocked in the S phase. Later (8 less than t less than 24-72 h), the cycling of a substantial part of the population became inhibited in G1 phase. Microdensitometric texture analysis of Feulgen-stained nuclei, performed 24 h after administration of Db-cAMP, showed a higher inhomogeneity of the DNA distribution in cell nuclei, caused by the condensation of a part of the chromatin. This may reflect either changes in genome expression taking part in the process of cAMP induced differentiation or transit of some cells into quiescent G0 or S0 phases.