Synergistic bombesin and insulin stimulation of DNA synthesis in human fetal kidney in serum-free culture.

The respective influences of growth factors during kidney development can be directly evaluated using the chemically-defined serum-free culture system perfected in our laboratory. Since, in this culture model, conditions are minimal for growth and differentiation, DNA synthesis sharply decreases during the first 48 h. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF, 100 ng/ml), insulin (5 mug/ml) and transferrin (5 mug/ml) significantly restores this important cellular function. The objective of the present study was to determine the influence of bombesin, a potent mitogen, supplemented alone or in combination with insulin, transferrin and/or EGF. Cortical explants of human fetal kidneys (17-20 weeks) were maintained during 5 days in culture. When compared with 5 day controls (L-15 medium only), bombesin generated a maximal though weak effect on DNA synthesis at a concentration of 0.3 nM, corresponding to a stimulation index (SI) of 22%. When combined with either transferrin or EGF, or with transferrin plus EGF, bombesin did not alter the SI of individual factors. Insulin, in turn, greatly increased DNA synthesis (SI = 169%), while bombesin strongly potentiated this effect (SI = 275%). Transferrin also enhanced insulin SI from 169 to 240%. When added as a third factor, bombesin further potentiated the effectiveness (SI = 338%) of the combination insulin plus transferrin. These results indicate that bombesin controls cell proliferation in synergism with other regulators and hence may act as a competence growth factor during nephrogenesis.