1 alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3], a hormonally active form of vitamin D3, was shown previously to enhance chemically induced transformation of BALB 3T3 cells and Syrian hamster embryo cells. This report demonstrates that 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3, like phorbol ester tumor promoters, induces anchorage-independent growth of mouse JB6 epidermal cells. When plated on agar plates containing 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 at concentrations higher than 0.05 ng/ml or 0.12 nM, JB6 cells formed colonies on

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... he surface of agar plates dose dependently. This anchorage-independent growth was further confirmed by stimulation of DNA synthesis after liquefying the agar layer with NaI. A phorbol-ester resistant variant of JB6 cells was also resistant to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 in terms of induction of anchorage independency. Induction of anchorage-independent growth was specific for 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3: other derivatives of vitamin D3 also induced colony formation on agar plates but only at a higher concentration (500 ng/ml) and to much less extent than did 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3. JB6 cells were found to contain a receptor specific for 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 with a Kd of 55.7 pM and Nmax of 102.5 fmol/mg protein, suggesting a receptor-mediated mechanism of the induction. The clone that was resistant to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 also contained the receptor. DNA-cellulose chromatography showed that a 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3-receptor complex interacted with DNA. In contrast to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3, retinoic acid did not induce anchorage-independent growth of JB6 cells, but it inhibited the induction by 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 when applied with it.