Platelet-derived growth factor regulation of fos stability correlates with growth induction.

A brief exposure of quiescent, density-arrested Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) results in expression of the proto-oncogene c-fos; furthermore, the translation product of c-fos, p55fos, was shown to have increased stability in cells upon continued exposure to PDGF. The induction of competence or growth initiation requires a longer exposure to PDGF than that necessary for the induction of the immediate-early, growth-related genes. The need for the continued presence of PDGF for growth initiation beyond the time required for the induction of immediate-early gene expression may be due, in part, to PDGF-dependent post-translational stabilizations of gene products. We speculate that a PDGF-mediated event increases p55fos stability, resulting in a continued elevated level of Fos protein, which in turn allows a continued Fos-mediated activity required by Balb/c 3T3 cells to become competent to enter the cell cycle.