HeLa cells were serum starved (0.2 % FBS, 16 h) and incubated with forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX, 200 μM, 20 min) followed by EGF (30 min). Reactions were terminated by aspiration of media and addition of 150 μl of ice-cold TCA 7.5% (w/v). cAMP content in TCA extracts was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and normalized to protein [(determined using a dye binding protein assay (Bio-Rad)] exactly as we have done previously (28 (link)). Data is expressed as fmol cAMP/μg total protein.