Search

Our results show that stimulation by serum of dense cultures of 3T3 cells rapidly induced increased synthesis of a growth inhibitor (mIGFBP-3) capable of binding IGF. mIGFBP-3 was secreted by stimulated cells immediately after its synthesis, and accumulated in the medium. Accumulation of mIGFBP-3 in the medium increased, as a function of growth factor (bFGF, PDGF, insulin) concentrations and time. bFGF was the best stimulatory factor for both DNA synthesis and accumulation of mIGFBP-3 in the first 24 h of incubation. DNA synthesis was arrested after 48 h of incubation with bFGF when accumulation of mIGFBP-3 was maximal. Since we showed that mIGFBP-3 is able to inhibit bFGF stimulation of DNA synthesis in mouse fibroblasts, it is possible that the accumulation of mIGFBP-3 induces a feedback regulation of cell growth.

Different data have suggested that the density-dependent inhibition of growth in normal 3T3 cells is due to the release of inhibitory factor(s) into the medium. The present results provide more evidence supporting this hypothesis. From conditioned medium of dense cultures of 3T3 cells, we fractionated a thermolabile inhibitory diffusible factor (I.D.F.) with a molecular weight of about 40.000 This factor decreased the [11C]-inosine incorporation into purine nucleotides and into nucleic acids of stimulated 3T3 cells. DNA synthesis, determined by [11C]-thymidine incorporation into nucleic acids, and protein synthesis (determined by the protein content of the cultures maintained in the presence or absence of I.D.F.), were also decreased. The possibility that I.D.F. is involved in density-dependent inhibition of growth is discussed.