This study used 10-nm gold particles with 5-7 insulin molecules attached (Au10-Ins) to investigate the site of interaction of insulin with the nuclear envelope during insulin uptake into intact isolated nuclei. Despite its size, and in the absence of ATP, Au10-Ins entered nuclei through the nuclear pore and associated with the heterochromatin. Because Au10-Ins is essentially gold-bovine serum albumin (Au-BSA) with a few insulin molecules attached, the effect of insulin and other growth factors on the nuclear accumulation of BSA coupled to 10-, 15-, and 24-nm-diam colloidal gold particles (Au10-BSA, Au15-BSA, and Au24-BSA) was determined. The Au-BSA complexes were excluded from nuclei in the absence of insulin. Insulin (0.5-100 ng/ml) caused a dose-dependent accumulation of Au10-BSA in the nucleus. The nuclear membrane was shown to be intact by several criteria, therefore, accumulation of Au-BSA occurred via the nuclear pore and was not due to leakage across or through the membrane. Uptake of 15- and 24-nm Au-BSA molecules was not affected by insulin, suggesting the hormone had a limited effect in increasing the functional diameter of the nuclear pores. Glucagon, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, insulinlike growth factor I, and insulin A or B chains did not stimulate the accumulation of Au10-BSA. The insulin-stimulated accumulation of Au10-BSA was blocked by concanavalin A, mimicked by wheat-germ agglutinin, and did not require ATP. The Au10-BSA in the nucleus was associated with heterochromatin, suggesting it bound to a nuclear element.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)