Stem cell factor (SCF) is encoded at the Sl locus of the mouse and is the ligand for the c-kit receptor. Recombinant rat SCF164 (rrSCF164) induces proliferation and promotes maturation of mouse mast cells in vitro and in vivo and can also induce c-kit receptor-dependent mouse mast cell degranulation. We now report that in both quiescent and non-quiescent mouse bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC) rrSCF164 induces increased mRNA levels for the "early response genes" c-fos, c-jun and junB but has only slight effects on the expression of junD. Recombinant mouse interleukin-3 (IL-3) also promotes proliferation of both quiescent and non-quiescent BMCMC. However, IL-3 induces increased expression of c-fos and junB only in quiescent BMCMC. Cross-linking of Fc epsilon receptor type I (Fc epsilon RI) on BMCMC by IgE and specific antigen induces a pattern of early gene expression very similar to that induced by rrSCF164. However, BMCMC stimulated through the Fc epsilon RI did not proliferate and, in comparison to control BMCMC, exhibited significantly decreased proliferation in response to rrSCF164 or IL-3. These results indicate that stimulation of BMCMC proliferation by IL-3 or rrSCF164 induces distinct patterns of early response gene expression and suggest that the proliferative effects of these growth factors may be mediated through distinct signal transduction pathways. Our data also point to previously unappreciated similarities between the effects of signaling through the c-kit receptor or the Fc epsilon RI on mast cell expression of fos and jun genes.