The effect of halothane on isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis was determined in isolated rat epididymal fat cells. The maximal lipolytic response (Emax) activated by isoproterenol was 350 +/- 61 nmol of glycerol/10(5) cells/hr with an EC50 of 5.1 X 10(-9) M. When the adipocytes were simultaneously bubbled with 2.5% halothane, the Emax decreased to 158 +/- 43 nmol of glycerol/10(5) cells/hr and the dose response curve for isoproterenol was shifted to the right (EC50 3.5 X 10(-8) M, p less than 0.05). When lipolysis was maximally stimulated with (-)-isoproterenol (10(-6)M), the inhibitory effect of halothane was found to be both dose dependent (IC50 approximately 2.5%, v/v) and reversible following washout. Neither the nonhydrolyzable cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio) adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (2 X 10(-3)M), nor forskolin (10(-6) M) was able to normalize lipolysis in the presence of halothane. The activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (EC 2.7.1.37) activity by isoproterenol was not different in halothane-exposed cells when compared to unexposed cells. When control adipocytes were exposed to isoproterenol (10(-6) M), there was a 2.5-fold increase in the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) from 0.64 +/- 0.13 to 1.53 +/- 0.32 pkat (pmol/sec) per mg (p less than 0.005, n = 10). However, in the presence of halothane (2.5%, v/v) isoproterenol stimulation of hormone-sensitive lipase was attenuated by 50% to values of 1.06 +/- 0.23 pkat/mg (p less than 0.01, n = 10). Halothane had no direct inhibitory effect on hormone-sensitive lipase since this enzyme's activity was unaffected when homogenates of isoproterenol-stimulated control cells were incubated with halothane. These studies suggest that halothane impairs the activation of hormone-sensitive lipase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and in this manner inhibits beta-adrenergic-stimulated lipolysis.