We have analysed the effects of natural aliphatic polyamines on hormonal induction of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in suspensions of hepatocytes isolated from adult fed rats. Glucagon or cyclic AMP derivatives (dibutyryl and 8-bromo) used alone caused a 4-5 fold increase in enzyme activity within 4h. This effect was independent of glucocorticoids, which also increased TAT activity (2.5-fold); when combined, the effects of the two inducers were additive. Spermine and putrescine totally inhibited the hormonally-mediated increase in enzyme activity when added at the onset of incubation with the inducers. Furthermore, polyamines could block the hormonal effect at any time during the course of TAT induction, with, however, a 30 min lag period, suggesting that they must enter the cells. Hepatocytes were indeed shown to take up spermine. At low external concentrations (less than 50 microM), an Na+-dependent, saturable and concentrative mechanism was predominant; at high concentrations (greater than 0.5 mM) transport occurred mainly through a non-saturable, Na+-independent mechanism, building up intracellular concentrations slightly lower than those in the medium. Dose-dependence analysis of the polyamine effect on enzyme induction indicated that half-maximal and maximal inhibition occurred with 0.75 mM- and 2.5 mM-spermine respectively, whereas 2.5mM- and 7.5 mM-putrescine were required respectively to obtain similar effects. Spermidine was much less effective and cadaverine had virtually no effect. None of the polyamines affected the rate of decay of TAT, nor did they directly or indirectly cause enzyme inactivation, indicating that a post-translational modification was unlikely to account for the polyamine effects. Similarly, these effects could not be ascribed to a non-specific inhibition of overall protein synthesis. We conclude that, in hepatocytes, polyamines (or their metabolites) directly interfere with one or several steps controlled by hormones in the synthesis of tyrosine aminotransferase.