Previous studies demonstrated that in addition to an increased response to growth factors, cultured vascular smooth muscle cells derived from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) grow to a greater density than cells from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) has a bimodal effect on vascular smooth muscle cell growth, depending on cell density. The present study investigated the relation between cell density and expression of the proto-oncogene c-fos and TGF-beta 1 in cells from WKY rats and SHRs. The results demonstrate an increased accumulation of c-fos mRNA in calf serum-stimulated SHR cells but only at a high cell density. The expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA was enhanced in growing SHR cells at every density studied as early as 24 hours after inoculation, with a further increase at later times. The effect of exogenous TGF-beta 1 on new DNA synthesis was evaluated by [3H]thymidine incorporation. At a low cell density, TGF-beta 1 had no effect on DNA synthesis in either WKY or SHR vascular smooth muscle cells. At a high cell density, there was a significant increase of DNA synthesis in response to TGF-beta 1 in SHR cells without any effect in WKY cells. In conclusion, contact inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cells from SHRs at a higher cell density is accompanied by an earlier expression of the marker gene c-fos and preceded by an exaggerated expression of TGF-beta 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)