In the present work the effects of the novel neuropeptide Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (PACAP) on both AR4-2J cell growth and the modulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity were investigated. Both PACAP38 and the amidated form PACAP27 caused a concentration-dependent stimulation of AR4-2J cell growth; the maximal increase was seen at 1 nmol/L (30% above control, P less than 0.01) with a half-maximal effect at 0.01 nmol/L. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was also increased by PACAP in a dose-dependent manner, reaching half-maximal stimulation at 0.5 nmol/L. The addition of 1 nmol/L of somatostatin analog SMS 201-995 totally suppressed PACAP-stimulated AR4-2J cell growth. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (3 mumol/L) and 8-bromo-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (1 mmol/L) had no effect on cell proliferation. Treatment of cells by pertussis toxin (25 ng.mL-1.day-1) suppressed PACAP-stimulated AR4-2J cell growth but enhanced PACAP-induced stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity. It was concluded that PACAP stimulates AR4-2J cell proliferation by a mechanism that seems independent of cyclic adenosine monophosphate production. The mitogenic effect of PACAP depends on a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein and is associated with an increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity.