It is now recognized that significant tubular reabsorption of albumin occurs under physiological conditions that may play an important role in maintaining proximal tubular integrity and function. Therefore, this study examined the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on DNA synthesis and its related signal molecules in primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs). BSA increased the level of [(3)H]thymidine incorporation in a dose (> or =3 mg/ml)- and time (> or =3 h)-dependent manner, intracellular Ca(2+) concentration, and the level of protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation and stimulated the phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which was inhibited by EGTA (extracellular Ca(2+) chelator), 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM, intracellular Ca(2+) chelator), or PKC inhibitors (staurosporine or bisindolylmaleimide I). In addition, the PKC inhibitors or an EGFR inhibitor (AG-1478) blocked the BSA-induced phosphorylation of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). BSA also increased the level of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and inhibitor of NF-kappaB (IkappaB) phosphorylation, which was blocked by staurosporine, AG-1478, or PD-98059 (p44/42 MAPK inhibitor). Inhibition of Ca(2+), PKC, EGFR, p44/42 MAPK, or NF-kappaB signal pathways blocked the BSA-induced incorporation of [(3)H]thymidine. Consequently, the inhibition of Ca(2+), PKC, EGFR, p44/42 MAPKs, or NF-kappaB blocked the BSA-induced increases in cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4, cyclin E, or CDK2 and restored the BSA-induced inhibition of p21(WAF/Cip1) and p27(Kip1) expression. In conclusion, BSA stimulates DNA synthesis that is mediated by Ca(2+)/PKC as well as the EGFR-dependent p44/42 MAPK and NF-kappaB signal pathways in PTCs.