Thirteen experimental mouse neoplasms were tested by cytidine (CR)-deaminase and deoxycytidine (dCR)-kinase levels. Four neoplasms, Sarcoma T241, Adenocarcinoma E0771, Lewis lung carcinoma (LL), and Sarcoma 180 Japan (S180J), considered to have high deaminase and sufficient dCR-kinase activities, were tested in vivo for combination chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) and the CR-deaminase inhibitor, tetrahydrouridine (THU). THU did not significantly improve the growth inhibition of ara-C in a wide range of combinations in T241, E0771, LL, and the solid form of S180J, but more than doubled the survival time of the S180J ascites-bearing animals. Toxicity in the form of weight loss and toxic deaths was observed in some but not all groups, especially at high dosages of ara-C and THU. Tissue distribution of [3H]-ara-C and [14C]-THU in T241-bearing mice revealed an accelerated clearance of ara-C-derived radioactivity under the influence of THU in the tumor and five host tissues, but not in the small intestines. With the exception of the small intestines, clearance of THU-derived radioactivity was faster in all tissues studied compared to the clearance of [3H]-ara-C-derived radioactivity. Intracellular CR-deaminase levels were inhibited significantly, ie, dose dependent, in tumor and host kidney after a single ip injection of THU to E0771--bearing mice. In the solid S180J, with or without simultaneous ip administration of THU, [3H]-ara-C was not converted to 5'-di- and tri-phosphates at all. In mice bearing the ascites form of S180J, [3H]-ara-C was extensively converted to ara-C 5'-di- and tri-phosphates. THU increased both overall ara-C-derived radioactivity and the relative amounts of ara-C 5'-di- and tri-phosphates.