Heparin-binding growth factor-1 (HBGF-1), also known as acidic fibroblast growth factor, is a potent mitogen for a variety of cell types including vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Studies using murine 3T3 fibroblasts have shown that HBGF-1 induces numerous cellular responses such as the tyrosine phosphorylation of specific polypeptides and the increased expression of actin mRNA. Here we report that the addition of HBGF-1 to quiescent human umbilical vein endothelial cells increases the level of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain mRNA but not PDGF B-chain mRNA. In contrast, factors that inhibit endothelial cell proliferation such as phorbol myristate acetate and the cytokines interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha increase both PDGF A-chain and B-chain mRNA levels. HBGF-1 induction of PDGF A-chain mRNA expression occurs in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide and thus does not require de novo protein synthesis. HBGF-1 also increases c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc mRNA levels; in the presence of cycloheximide, PDGF A-chain and protooncogene mRNA accumulation kinetics are similar. Nuclear run-on experiments indicate that the transcription rate of the PDGF A-chain gene transiently increases after HBGF-1 addition. Immunoprecipitation analysis using PDGF A-chain-specific antibodies indicates that HBGF-1-stimulated cells synthesize and secrete an increased amount of PDGF relative to unstimulated cells. If HBGF-1 can regulate PDGF expression by vascular endothelial cells in vivo, then HBGF-1 availability would be an important component of smooth muscle cell growth control. For example, HBGF-1 within the vessel wall would promote smooth muscle cell proliferation by (a) direct interaction with smooth muscle cell HBGF-1 receptors, and (b) increasing the amount of endothelial cell-derived PDGF available for binding to smooth muscle cell PDGF receptors.