Regulation by dibutyryl cyclic AMP of carnosine synthesis in astroglia-rich primary cultures kept in serum-free medium.

The synthesis of carnosine (beta-Ala-His) by astroglia-rich primary cultures was much higher if the cells were cultivated in Ham's nutrient mixture F-12 than if they were grown in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. Carnosine synthesis was not affected by the presence of insulin, transferrin, phorbol myristate acetate, or dexamethasone. However, dibutyryl cyclic AMP and other agents that can, directly or indirectly, activate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases strongly lower the rate of carnosine synthesis. The depression of carnosine synthesis was dependent on the concentration of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. The effect was maximal (approximately 80% inhibition) in cultures preincubated with 1 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP for 4 days. The adenylate cyclase activator forskolin, the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and 8-bromo-cyclic AMP caused the same depression as dibutyryl cyclic AMP, whereas neither butyrate nor dibutyryl cyclic GMP elicited any effect.