We investigated the mechanisms of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP)-mediated effects on osteogenic cells in primary rat bone marrow cell (BMC) cultures. We first demonstrated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry that BMCs express the type I parathyroid hormone/PTHrP receptor. Treatment with PTHrP increased osteogenic cell proliferation as determined by [ 3 H]thymidine and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and augmented osteogenic colonies. Immunocytochemistry and Western blotting revealed no direct effect on expression of the osteoblast markers, type I collagen, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin, indicating that PTHrP did not directly stimulate differentiation in this system. PTHrP increased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity in BMC and MAPK activity, and PTHrP-induced osteogenic cell proliferation could be blocked by the MEK inhibitor PD-098059. PTHrP also increased Ras activity in BMC. Although wortmannin and H8, inhibitors of phosphoinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase A, respectively, did not block PTHrP-stimulated Ras or MAPK activity, chelerythrin chloride, a known protein kinase C inhibitor, did block these PTHrP actions as well as PTHrP-induced osteogenic cell proliferation. These results demonstrate that PTHrP stimulates osteogenic cell proliferation in rat marrow mesenchymal progenitor cells through protein kinase C-dependent activation of the Ras and MAPK signaling pathway.Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) 1 was initially discovered as the pathogenetic mediator of malignancy-associated hypercalcemia (MAH). Originally, PTHrP was considered to be a skeletal catabolic agent as patients with MAH develop marked osteoclastic bone resorption. However, as is the case with PTH in hyperparathyroidism, this catabolic skeletal effect of PTHrP in MAH occurs in the context of continuous exposure of the skeleton to PTHrP. In contrast, administration of PTH to rodents on an intermittent basis increases bone mass. This anabolic effect of intermittent PTH administration in osteoporosis has been extensively explored (1). Several groups have also demonstrated that intermittent PTHrP administration increases bone mass in rats in vivo (2-8), and in humans, a 2-week course of PTHrP has been associated with activation of bone formation and suppression of bone resorption in postmenopausal women (9). Analogs of PTHrP have been developed in an attempt to improve its anabolic efficacy. One such analog, RS-66271, has received attention because of its pronounced bone anabolic activity when given intermittently to ovariectomized, osteopenic rats (10). A rapid increase in the number of osteoblasts on trabecular surfaces was observed following initiation of treatment (11). Additional evidence in support of an anabolic effect of PTHrP on bone comes from studies of heterozygous PTHrP "knockout" animals that exhibit haploinsufficiency and evidence of reduced trabecular bone volume (12). Despite these observations the cellular basis for the anabolic actions of PTHrP i...