The generation of secondary cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses in vitro toward allogeneic P815 mastocytoma cells were suppressed 60-80% when 10(-4) mol/l histamine, 10(-5) mol/l dimaprit (S-[3-(N,N-dimethylamino) propyl]isothiourea dihydrochloride) or 10(-5) mol/l impromidine were present in the culture. Three lines of evidence suggest this observation was a result of an active suppression mechanism and not a result of drug toxicity: Control level activity was obtained when Interleukin-2/T-cell growth factor (IL-2) containing supernatants were added to suppressed cultures. Removal of drug after incubation resulted in control level responses upon reculture. The addition of these H2 agonists to spleen cells from nonimmune animals did not affect the primary CTL response to P815. The effects of H1 and H2 antagonists were also tested in this model. The observed suppression was abrogated by the H2 antagonists cimetidine and mifentidine but not by the H2 antagonist ranitidine nor H1 antagonists, chlorpheniramine, pyrilamine or diphenhydramine. These results suggest regulation of CTL differentiation to alloantigens can be modulated by H2 reactive entities.