Unique and selective mitogenic effects of vanadate on SV40-transformed cells.

Vanadate and insulin both function as unique complete mitogens for SV40-transformed 3T3T cells, designated CSV3-1, but not for nontransformed 3T3T cells. The mitogenic effects induced by vanadate and insulin in CSV3-1 cells are mediated by different signaling mechanisms. For example, vanadate does not stimulate the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit nor the 170 kDa insulin receptor substrate-1. Instead, vanadate induces a marked increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of 55 and 64 kDa proteins that is not observed in insulin-stimulated CSV3-1 cells. Perhaps most interestingly, vandate-induced mitogenesis is associated with the selective induction of c-jun and junB expression without significantly inducing c-fos or c-myc. Furthermore, treatment of CSV3-1 cells with genistein abolishes the effects of vanadate on protein tyrosine phosphorylation and c-jun induction. These and related data suggest that modulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and c-jun and junB expression may serve the critical roles in mediating vandate-induced mitogenesis in SV40-transformed cells.