Endocytosis is required for the mitogenic effect of basic calcium phosphate crystals in fibroblasts

Basic calcium phosphate (BCP) crystals stimulate mitosis of cultured fibroblasts and synoviocytes in vitro. Although intimate crystal-cell contact is required for mitogenesis, and lysosomotropic agents such as chloroquine and ammonium chloride block the mitogenic effect of crystals, the requirement of endocytosis has not been demonstrated. Synthetic BCP crystals, uniformly trace-labeled with 45Ca, were added to cultured, quiescent, confluent human foreskin fibroblasts in the presence or absence of ammonium chloride. After 4 or 24 hours, cultures were pulsed with 3H thymidine. The cells were then released with EDTA and trypsin, and fractionated on preformed Percoll density gradients. Fractions were analyzed for incorporation of 45Ca and [3H]thymidine and cell number. The cells containing 45Ca crystals also were heavily labeled with thymidine. Ammonium chloride decreased the amount of crystals endocytosed, and inhibited mitogenesis. These data suggest that mitogenesis induced by BCP crystals is preceded by endocytosis and dissolution in the acidic environment of phagolysosomes.