Sensitization of frog erythrocyte adenylate cyclase system by tumor-promoting phorbol diesters

Preincubation of frog erythrocyte lysates with tumor-promoting phorbol diesters leads to an increase in adenylate cyclase activity. This stimulatory effect of phorbol diesters was specific. Incubation with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate led to increases in basal (38%) and isoproterenol- (40%), fluoride- (25%), and Mn-stimulated (68%) adenylate cyclase activities compared with control. The inactive phorbol diesters (4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate and beta-phorbol) were ineffective in promoting increases in adenylate cyclase activity. The effect of active phorbol diesters was also observed on isolated frog erythrocyte membranes in the absence of cell supernatant, although to a much lesser extent than in the whole lysates. Addition of the cell supernatant or of purified protein kinase C to the membranes maximized the sensitization by the phorbol diesters. These data are consistent with the notion that some component(s) of the adenylate cyclase system is (are) phosphorylated by protein kinase C, resulting in an enhancement of enzyme activity.