The type V TGF-beta receptor (TbetaR-V)/IGFBP-3 receptor mediates the IGF-independent growth inhibition induced by IGFBP-3. It also mediates the growth inhibitory response to TGF-beta1 in concert with other TGF-beta receptor types, and its loss may contribute to the malignant phenotype of human carcinoma cells. Here we demonstrate that TbetaR-V is identical to LRP-1/alpha2M receptor as shown by MALDI-TOF analysis of tryptic peptides of TbetaR-V purified from bovine liver. In addition, 125I-IGFBP-3 affinity-labeled TbetaR-V in Mv1Lu cells is immunoprecipitated by antibodies to LRP-1 and TbetaR-V. RAP, an LRP-1 antagonist, inhibits binding of 125I-TGF-beta1 and 125I-IGFBP-3 to TbetaR-V and diminishes IGFBP-3-induced growth inhibition in Mv1Lu cells. Absent or low levels of LRP-1, as with TbetaR-V, have been linked to the malignant phenotype of carcinoma cells. Mutagenized Mv1Lu cells selected for reduced expression of LRP-1 have an attenuated growth inhibitory response to TGF-beta1 and IGFBP-3. LRP-1-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts lack a growth inhibitory response to TGF-beta1 and IGFBP-3. On the other hand, stable transfection of H1299 human lung carcinoma cells with LRP-1 cDNA restores the growth inhibitory response. These results suggest that the LRP-1/TbetaR-V/IGFBP-3 receptor is required for the growth inhibitory response to IGFBP-3 and TGF-beta1.