Rat ascites hepatoma (AH) cells (10(6) cells/head) inoculated intraperitoneally into rats had host-killing ability (malignancy) in the order AH66F > AH44 > AH13 > AH7974 > AH109A > AH66 > AH130. The life span of the rats after inoculation closely correlated with the activity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) in the tumor cells but not the activity of Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). N-[2-[N-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-2-propenyl]amino]ethyl]-5- isoquinoline-sulfonamide (H-87), a potent, selective inhibitor of protein kinase A, inhibited in vitro growth of these hepatoma cells with a similar potency and, intraperitoneally injected, prolonged the lives of rats bearing less malignant AH66 cells (with high protein kinase A activity) but did not affect the life span of rats bearing highly malignant AH66F cells (with low protein kinase A activity). On the other hand N-(2-methylpiperazyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (H-7), an inhibitor of protein kinase C, inhibited AH66F cells more than AH66 cells, but did not influence the life span of rats bearing either hepatoma. From these results it is deduced that protein kinase A may be important in the regulation of malignancy and in vivo proliferation of AH cells.