title: Vanadate enhances the stimulatory action of insulin on DNA synthesis in cultured mouse mammary gland.
abstract: In order to assess the importance of ions in the regulation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation, the effect of various polyvalent ions was examined on insulin- and lithium-ion-dependent DNA synthesis in mouse mammary gland from virgin mice cultured in a serum-free, chemically defined medium. Addition of 2 to 10 microM orthovanadate enhanced the stimulatory effect of insulin on DNA synthesis in cultured tissue. Similar results were obtained with metavanadate. In contrast, vanadate did not augment Li+-stimulated DNA synthesis but rather inhibited this process. Vanadate by itself caused only a slight stimulation of DNA synthesis. These results indicate that vanadate acts as a co-mitogen in insulin-stimulated DNA synthesis in cultured mammary cells and suggest that the mitogenic action of insulin involves an ion-dependent path which may be common to the actions of vanadate and lithium ion.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D014638:Vanadates; D014639:Vanadium / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D014639:Vanadium; D014638:Vanadates; D004247:DNA