Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their specific regulatory binding proteins (IGFBPs) are postulated to play a key role in bone metabolism. To date, IGFBP-2 through -6 have been characterized in bone cell systems. In this study we focused on IGFBP-1. Primary cultures of normal human osteoblasts derived from trabecular bone (hOB cells) expressed low levels of IGFBP-1 messenger RNA (mRNA), as determined by Northern analyses. Treatment of hOB cells with 1 microM cortisol or 100 nM dexamethasone for 20 h stimulated IGFBP-1 mRNA expression 5-fold and increased levels of immunoassayable IGFBP-1 in the conditioned medium 3-fold. Estradiol and progesterone had no effect. IGFBP-1 expression was not observed in U-2, TE-85, or MG-63 human osteosarcoma cell lines or in normal human fibroblasts. Insulin (1-100 nM) potently inhibited both basal and glucocorticoid-stimulated IGFBP-1 expression in hOB cells. Insulin had little or no effect on steady state levels of the other IGFBP mRNA. A monoclonal antibody to the insulin receptor blocked insulin binding to insulin receptors and completely prevented insulin-induced suppression of IGFBP-1. In summary, we have documented IGFBP-1 mRNA and protein expression in normal nontransformed human osteoblastic cells. This expression was stimulated by glucocorticoids and inhibited by insulin in a manner similar to IGFBP-1 regulation in hepatocytes. Insulin acts through insulin receptors on hOB cells. We postulate that IGFBP-1 produced by osteoblasts in vivo can modulate local actions of IGF on bone formation in response to changes in glucocorticoid and insulin concentrations.