Type beta transforming growth factor (TGF beta) was shown to regulate the production of several extracellular matrix proteins. Osteopontin (OP) is a recently discovered bone matrix protein which was shown to promote the attachment of osteoblastic rat osteosarcoma ROS 17/2.8 cells to their substrate. We examined the effects of TGF beta on OP production and OP mRNA in ROS 17/2.8 cells. Four-day treatment with 4 ng/ml TGF beta 1 increased substantially the level of osteopontin in the cell culture media, as estimated by immunoblotting. Metabolic labeling showed that this effect was associated with a 3-4-fold increase in OP biosynthesis. TGF beta 1 also increased, in a dose-dependent manner starting at 0.4 ng/ml, the steady-state level of OP mRNA. The increase in OP mRNA was first detected 48 h after the addition of TGF beta 1 and lasted at least until 120 h. The half-life of OP mRNA, estimated in the presence of 5,6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole, was about 10 h and was not altered by TGF beta 1. On the other hand, the increase in OP mRNA was blocked by actinomycin D. Nuclear run-on assays indicated that TGF beta 1 increased the rate of transcription of the OP gene. Examination of hormonal interactions showed that TGF beta 1 opposed or compensated for the reduction in OP mRNA produced by dexamethasone and that TGF beta 1 did not further augment OP mRNA levels which had been increased by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 treatment. TGF beta 2 had similar effects on OP gene expression as TGF beta 1. In conclusion, TGF beta promotes the production of osteopontin in the osteoblastic osteosarcoma cells through a pathway which is at least in part mediated by transcriptional events.