Induction of apoptosis in thymocytes: new evidence for an interaction of PKC and PKA pathways.

The second messenger cascades connected to PKC and PKA are involved in the induction of apoptosis. Here we study the interaction of those two second messenger pathways with respect to the induction of apoptosis by stimulation or inhibition. The stimulators used were phorbol dibutyrate for PKC and one of the cAMP agonists Sp-5,6 DCl-cBIMPS or Sp-cAMP for PKA. The inhibitors used were staurosporin for PKC and the cAMP antagonist Rp-cAMPS for PKA. We found a synergism between both second messenger systems with regard to the induction of apoptosis in thymus lymphocytes.