Arginine vasopressin (AVP) binds specifically to vascular smooth muscle-like mesangial cells (MCs) and affects contraction. We tested whether this peptide also modulates growth behavior of rat MCs in early subculture (passage 2-5). Subconfluent, serum-starved MCs were exposed to AVP (10(-10)-10(-6) M) in the presence or absence of insulin (5 micrograms/ml). To assess DNA replication, MC uptake of [3H]thymidine (24-h pulse) was determined on days 1, 2, and 3. AVP alone averaged a 1.97-fold increase in DNA synthesis at 24 h, whereas the mean stimulatory effects of AVP at 48 and 72 h were 7.21- and 5.42-fold, respectively. MCs exposed simultaneously to AVP and insulin showed potentiation of the mitogenic response to AVP alone. The V1-receptor antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylene proprionic acid), 2-(O-methyl-Tyr)-Arg]vasopressin (PMP) inhibited only AVP-induced promotion of MC growth (maximal inhibition of -78.3%). The phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) acutely stimulated MC proliferation but did not add to the AVP effect. Preincubation of MCs with 600 nM of TPA for 48 h significantly inhibited AVP-induced mitogenesis (-87.2%). By use of fura-2, intracellular calcium (Cai) was assessed by spectrofluorometry. The addition of AVP (10(-12)-10(-6) M) led to a rapid, transient, dose-dependent increase in Cai of 154-383%, respectively. The AVP-induced increase in Cai was greatly inhibited by 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)octyl ester hydrochloride (TMB-8) (10(-8)-10(-6) M), an inhibitor of Cai release (-23.9 to -72.1%), and it was blunted by the atrial natriuretic peptide AP-28 (-38.3%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)