Transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) plays complex roles in carcinogenesis, as it may exert both tumor suppressor and pro-oncogenic activities depending on the stage of the tumor. SMAD proteins transduce signals from the TGF-b receptors to regulate the transcription of specific target genes. Crosstalks with other signaling pathways may contribute to the specificity of TGF-b effects. In this report, we have investigated the effects of cyclic adenosine 3 0 ,5 0 -monophosphate (cAMP), a key second messenger in the cellular response to various hormones, on SMAD-dependent signaling in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Using either an artificial SMAD3/4-dependent reporter construct or the natural TGF-b target, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, we show that membrane-permeable dibutyryl cAMP, and other intracellular cAMP-elevating agents such as the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutyl-methylxanthine, the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin, or exogenous prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), interfere with TGF-b-induced SMAD-specific gene transactivation. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA), the main downstream effector of cAMP, with H-89, suppressed cAMP-dependent repression of SMAD-driven gene expression. Inversely, coexpression of either an active PKA catalytic subunit or that of the cAMP response element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) blocked SMAD-driven gene transactivation. cAMP-elevating agents did not inhibit nuclear translocation and DNA binding of SMAD3/4 complexes, but abolished the interactions of SMAD3 with the transcription coactivators CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 in a PKAdependent manner. These results suggest that suppression of TGF-b/SMAD signaling and resulting gene transactivation by cAMP-inducing agents occurs via PKAdependent, CREB-mediated, disruption of SMAD-CBP/ p300 complexes.