The characteristics of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isoenzyme response to calcitonin stimulation have been studied in two human breast cancer cell lines, T47D and MCF 7. Both cell lines possess calcitonin receptors, a calcitonin-responsive adenylate cyclase and the two isoenzymes of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, types I and II. The adenylate cyclase also responds to prostaglandin E2. Acute activation of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase isoenzymes was determined by using a modification of a multiple small anion exchange column method [Livesey, Kemp, Re, Partridge & Martin (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 14983-14987]. Control experiments showed that post-extraction activation did not influence the data. Calcitonin caused a rapid, selective activation of isoenzyme II in the T 47D cells with half-maximal response at 10(-10)M, and persisting for at least 24h. In MCF 7 cells calcitonin also caused a highly selective activation of isoenzyme II with half-maximal response at 5 X 10(-11) M, but the response was transient with a return to basal isoenzyme activity by 4-6 h. At this time further addition of calcitonin did not restimulate the cyclic AMP-dependent kinase activity. In neither cell line did calcitonin treatment result in activation of isoenzyme I. Prostaglandin E2, on the other hand, the only significant alternative agonist of adenylate cyclase in T 47D cells, activated isoenzymes I and II to an equal extent in these cells, illustrating that two hormones activating adenylate cyclase in the one cell type might exert different effects by their selective actions upon protein kinase isoenzymes.