With the objective of developing human T-T cell hybrids producing B-cell growth factor, we fused concanavalin A-activated T lymphocytes with cells of the Jurkat T cell line. The hybrids were selected on the basis of their ability to form colonies in soft agar, whereas the parent Jurkat T cell line did not. T-T cell hybrids were HLA-typed, screened by functional tests, and recloned by limiting dilution. In addition to obtaining B-cell growth factor-producing hybrids, we also obtained certain other T-T cell hybrids (as determined by HLA-typing) producing suppressor factors inhibiting proliferative responses and antibody production by human lymphocytes. Subsequently, a suppressor factor with similar inhibitory properties was identified in supernatants of the Jurkat T cell line. However, the Jurkat factor exhibited different biochemical and functional properties than the hybridoma-derived suppressor factors. Using two-parameter cell cycle analysis and the metachromatic fluorochrome acridine orange, we found that the hybridoma-derived 160 and 169 suppressor factors arrested phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferative of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, whereas the Jurkat suppressor factor arrested proliferation in the S phase. Incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with the 160, 169, or Jurkat suppressor factors for 24 hr at 37 degrees C, followed by washing, did not alter their cell cycle progression (or RNA content) in response to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin. The hybridoma-derived 160 and 169 suppressor factors and the Jurkat factor inhibited the growth but not the viability of cells from the following human tumor cell lines: A673 sarcoma cell line, SK-LC-6 and SK-LC-14 lung cell lines, SB, Raji, and Daudi lymphoblastoid cell lines, and FARR malignant melanoma cell line. In contrast, it did not affect the growth of murine L1210 cells and FS-4 normal human diploid fibroblasts. The hybridoma-derived 160 suppressor factor was selected to investigate its effect on cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The 160 suppressor factor did not inhibit natural killer cytotoxicity or its augmentation by interferon alpha or interleukin 2 or the generation of lymphokine-activated killer cells. However, this factor partially inhibited the generation of specific T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.