The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms by which adenosine stimulates proliferation of osteoblast-like cells, MC3T3-E1. Adenosine by itself induces the stimulation of cell proliferation and accentuates the mitogenecity of PDGFs (AA and BB homodimers) for the cells. 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (CPX), a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist, partially inhibited adenosine-induced DNA synthesis in a competitive manner, suggesting that the mitogenic action of adenosine is, at least in part, mediated by xanthine-sensitive receptors. In pertussis-toxin (PTX)-pretreated cells, adenosine- but not PDGF-BB-stimulated DNA synthesis was partially inhibited, and CPX did not exert a further inhibitory effect, suggesting an involvement of PTX-sensitive G-protein downstream of CPX-sensitive receptor. When adenosine uptake was prevented with dipyridamole, the stimulation of proliferation by adenosine was not decreased at all, indicating that the CPX-insensitive part of adenosine action is not associated with the uptake of adenosine and subsequent incorporation into the nucleotide pool. Adenosine did not influence the basal level or the PDGF-BB-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. Since it is known that the cAMP pathway acts in inhibiting osteoblast proliferation, the mitogenic action of adenosine would be dependent on neither the cAMP pathway nor the phospholipase C/Ca2+ pathway. It has been concluded that adenosine exerts a mitogenic effect via two pathways at least, one mediated by xanthine-sensitive receptor and PTX-sensitive G-protein and the other through an unknown xanthine- and PTX-insensitive process.