Antineoplastic effects of Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase

Urea extracts of B. pertussis, but not B. bronchiseptica, cause large and sustained intracellular cAMP elevation in several neoplastic cell lines. These cAMP elevations are associated with growth inhibition (HL-60, Friend erythroleukemia) and a phenotypic change/differentiation (HL-60, L1210). B. pertussis extract injections prolong survival of L1210 tumor-bearing mice. Pretreatment of L1210 cells with B. pertussis extract both delays mortality and induces growth of solid tumors instead of ascites in subsequently inoculated mice. We conclude that B. pertussis adenylate cyclase is capable of invading a variety of neoplastic cells to catalyze the intracellular formation of large amounts of cAMP. These cAMP elevations are durable and promote growth arrest, differentiation, or phenotypic alterations reflected in altered biologic behavior. B. pertussis adenylate cyclase should prove to be a useful tool for manipulating cAMP levels in neoplastic cells to elucidate the role of cAMP in malignant transformation.