Summary. The effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on basal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) receptor level and on parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced 1,25-(OH)2D3 receptor up-regulation were studied in the phenotypically osteoblastic cell line UMR 106. EGF in concentrations exceeding 0.1 ng/ml reduced the number of 1,25(OH)2D 3 binding sites without changing the binding affinity. Maximal reduction was 30% at about 1 ng/ml. This reduction was independent of a change in cAMP content. EGF dose-dependently attenuated both PTH-induced 1,25(OH)2D 3 receptor up-regulation and PTH-stimulated cAMP production, without an effect on the EDso of the PTH effects. For both PTH responses the IC5o and the maximal effective dose were similar, 0.1 ng/ml and 1 ng/ml EGF, respectively. Reduction was first seen at 0.01 ng/ml EGF. At this concentration, EGF reduced PTH-stimulated 1,25-(OH)2D 3 receptor binding without an inhibition of the cAMP response. Time-course studies with 1 ng/ml EGF revealed that at 2 h preincubation EGF reduced the heterologous upregulation by PTH, and maximal inhibition was seen after 4 h. In contrast, PTH-stimulated cAMP production was just significantly inhibited only after 6 h, with 60% inhibition after 24 h preincubation. The effects of prostaglandin E 2 and forskolin on both 1,25(OH)eD3 binding and cAMP production were inhibited in a similar fashion. On the other hand, dibutyryl cAMP-and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthinestimulated 1,25(OH)2D3 binding were not affected by EGF. Taken together, our results demonstrate that EGF reduces both the basal number of 1,25(OH)2D3 binding sites and the heterologous up-regulation of the 1,25(OH)2D 3 receptor. The current data suggest that EGF reduces heterologous upregulation of the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor independent of as well as dependent on the cAMP messenger system. The EGF effect is not primarily located at the PTH receptor, at cAMP phosphodiesterase, or at protein kinase A level.Key words: EGF-1,25(OH)zD 3 binding -PTH -Osteoblast cell line.1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH)2D3) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) play an important role in calcium homeostasis. One of the target tissues for 1,25(OH)2D3 and PTH is bone. For both hormones the receptors in bone are located on the osteoblast [1][2][3][4]. From in vitro as well as in vivo studies, evidence has been obtained indicating that 1,25 (OH)2D 3 and PTH act in an interrelated fashion [5,6]. Also at the level of the osteoblast, interactions between 1,25(OH)2D 3 and PTH have been reported. For instance, preincubation of osteoblast-like cells with 1,25(OH)2D 3 attenuates the stimulation of cAMP production by PTH [7][8][9][10]. Furthermore, we have recently reported that PTH and PTHrelated protein cause heterologous up-regulation of the 1,25(OH)2D3 receptor [11].It has been shown that besides these two well-known calciotrophic hormones, growth factors and cytokines also affect bone cell metabolism. One of these polypeptide growth factors is epidermal growth factor (EGF) which has been shown to stimulate bone resorpti...