Panel A, PKD overexpression selectively potentiates DNA synthesis induced by bombesin, vasopressin, and PDBu in Swiss 3T3 cells. Confluent and quiescent cultures of Swiss 3T3 PKD.GFP cells (solid bars) and Swiss 3T3 GFP cells (open bars) were washed and incubated at 37 °C in 2 ml of DMEM/Waymouth's medium containing [3H]thymidine and the growth-promoting factors bombesin (Bom), vasopressin (VP), or PDBu, at the indicated concentrations. Results are expressed as a percentage mean ± S.E. (n = 3) of the maximal stimulation obtained with 10% fetal bovine serum (110 × 10–3 cpm/culture). Panel B, knockdown of endogenous PKD attenuates DNA synthesis in response to bombesin, vasopressin, or PDBu. Left, Swiss 3T3 cells were transfected with either non-targeting negative control (N. Targ.) or 75 nm PKD siRNA (PKD) as indicated. The cells were lysed, and PKD protein expression was assessed by Western blotting using the anti-PKD C-20 antibody. Shown here is are representative autoluminogram; similar results were obtained in four independent experiments. Autoluminograms were quantified by densitometric scanning. The results shown are the mean ± S.E. n = 4 and are expressed as percentage of the maximum level of PKD in non-targeting negative control cells (open bars). PKD expression was reduced by 88–92% (hatched bars). Right, Swiss 3T3 cells were transfected with either non-targeting negative control (open bars) or 75 nm PKD siRNA (hatched bars). After 6 days, when the cells were confluent and quiescent, the cultures were washed and incubated at 37 °C in 2 ml of DMEM/Waymouth's medium containing [3H]thymidine and the growth-promoting factors bombesin (Bom), 50 nm vasopressin (VP), and PDBu. Results are expressed as cpm/culture × 10–3; maximal stimulation, obtained in parallel cultures by stimulating with 10% fetal bovine serum, was 110 × 10–3 cpm/culture.