Aluminum ion at micromolar concentrations significantly stimulated the [3H]thymidine incorporation into human TE85 osteosarcoma cell DNA. Cells treated with mitogenic concentrations of aluminum ion for 48 h showed biphasic stimulation in secretion of IGFs (insulin-like growth factors) into the conditioned medium. Treatment of the human osteosarcoma TE85 cells with mitogenic doses of aluminum ion for 24 h also markedly and reproducibly increased the steady-state level of IGF-II mRNA in a dose-dependent, biphasic manner. The effect of aluminum ion on the steady-state level of IGF-I mRNA could not be determined since the IGF-I mRNA in these cells was not detectable with our oligodeoxynucleotide probes. To test whether the mitogenic effects of aluminum ion could be mediated through IGFs, the stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation of TE85 cells was evaluated in the presence and the absence of an inhibitory IGF binding protein (i.e., IGFBP-4). The presence of IGFBP-4 significantly reduced the stimulation in thymidine incorporation by a mitogenic concentration of aluminum ion. Western ligand blot analysis revealed that mitogenic concentrations of aluminum ion also inhibited the secretion of IGF-binding proteins, particularly the inhibitory IGFBP-4, which could lead to the potentiation of the overall activity of IGFs. In conclusion, these findings are consistent with the premise that the mitogenic action of aluminum ion on human bone cells is, in part, mediated by an increased local bone cell production and activity of IGFs.