Stimulation ofaortic smooth muscle cells with platelet-derived growth factor BB homodimer (PDGF-BB) leads to the rapid activation ofmitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MAPK kinase (MAPKK). Compounds that increase cAMP and activate protein kinase A (PKA) prostaglandin E2, isoproterenol, cholera toxin, and forskolinwere found to inhibit the PDGF-BB-induced activation of MAPKK and MAPK. Forskolin, but not the inactive analogue 1,9-dideoxyforskolin, inhibited PDGF-BB-stimulated MAPKK and MAPK activation in a dose-dependent manner. PKA antagonism of MAPK signaling was observed at all doses of PDGF-BB or PDGF-AA. PKA did not inhibit MAPKK and MAPK activity in vitro, and MAPKK and MAPK from extracts of forskolin-treated cells could be activated normally with purified Raf-1 and MAPKK, respectively, suggesting that PKA blocked signaling upstrea of MAPKK. Neither PDGF-BBstimulated tyrosine autophosphorylation of the PDGF receptor (3 subunit nor inositol monophosphate accumulation was affected by increased PKA activity, suggesting that PKA inhibits events downstream of the PDGF receptor. This study provides an example of cross talk between two important signaling systems activated by physiological stimuli in smooth muscle cells-namely, the PKA pathway and the growth factoractivated MAPK cascade.The p44 and p42 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) (Erkl and Erk2) are central components of a growth factorstimulated protein kinase cascade found in organisms as diverse as mammals and yeast (reviewed in refs.