The expression of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) was compared in two clonal lines of rat Nb2 node lymphoma cells, the lactogen-dependent Nb2-11C line and the lactogen-independent Nb2-Sp (spontaneous) line. Both cell lines expressed mRNA transcripts for the G-protein species Gs alpha [1.85 kilobases (kb)], Gi2 alpha (2.35 kb), Go alpha (4.1-4.5 kb), and Gi3 alpha (3.5 kb). Gi1 alpha was not detected. ADP ribosylation in the presence of activated cholera or pertussis toxins and [32P]NAD demonstrated the presence of G-proteins in the membrane fractions of both lines. The cholera toxin substrates consisted of two proteins (mol wt, 46.5 and 43.5 kD), while a single protein (mol wt, 41.5 kD) was ADP ribosylated by pertussis toxin. Surprisingly, the cholera toxin-sensitive proteins (Gs) were at least 20-fold less abundant in the Nb2-Sp cells than in the Nb2-11C cells. Since Gs and Gi2 are associated with the adenylate cyclase system and the regulation of intracellular cAMP, the effects of the cAMP analog, (Bu)2cAMP (dbcAMP), on Nb2-11C and Nb2-Sp cell growth were examined. dbcAMP (100 microM) completely inhibited the growth of lactogen-dependent Nb2-11C cells. The inhibitory effect of dbcAMP was exerted at an early point in the cell cycle, as it also inhibited PRL-stimulated c-myc expression measured 3 h after addition of the mitogen. In contrast, dbcAMP had only minor inhibitory effects on lactogen-independent Nb2-Sp cells, increasing their doubling time from 20 to 30 h and slightly reducing their density at confluence. The inhibitory effect of dbcAMP on both cell lines was reversible. Nb2-11C cells resumed growth after a lag period of approximately 3 days. The recovered cells did not arise from selection of a cAMP-resistant subpopulation, since both they and normal untreated Nb2-11C cells remained equally sensitive to dbcAMP. Similarly, Nb2-Sp cells resumed their normal doubling time upon removal of dbcAMP. The observation that the lactogen-independent Nb2-Sp cell line contained 20-fold less cholera toxin-sensitive Gs protein provides circumstantial evidence that dysfunction of the adenylate cyclase system may be implicated in the autonomous growth of these cells. This possibility is strengthened by the observation that Nb2-Sp cells are markedly less sensitive than the Nb2-11C clone to the growth inhibitory effects of an exogenous cAMP analog.