Synergistic increases in the survival of mice bearing an L1210 leukemia tumor have been demonstrated previously after treatment with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea together with theophylline over those treated with either agent alone. These results imply that manipulation of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels in L1210 cells may result in alteration of sensitivity to chemotherapy and alterations in tumor growth. In the present study, we have shown that in vivo treatment of L1210 cells with theophylline results in changes in intracellular cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity levels as well as in an apparent redistribution of both the nuclear and cytoplasmic isozymes. Biochemical events in the tumor cells immediately after administration of theophylline in vivo or a cyclic AMP analog (8-parachlorophenylthio cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate in vitro were independent of the presence of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. The changes apparently involve signal transduction via the adenylate cyclase system and manifest as: (a) increased sensitivity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase to activation by cyclic AMP after treatment of L1210 cells with theophylline; (b) decrease in endogenous nuclear protein phosphorylation sites; and (c) protein kinase isozyme redistribution between nuclear and extranuclear compartments, i.e., a relative increase of the type I isozyme activity in the nuclear and of the type II isozyme activity in the 900 x g supernatant fractions after treatment of the mice with theophylline. The relative activity increases are accompanied by a relative decrease of type II activity from the nucleus and type I isozyme activity from the 900 x g extranuclear supernatant fraction. These events appear temporally related to changes in nuclear RNA metabolism as evidenced by altered kinetics of RNA precursor uptake and incorporation into tumor cell RNA after treatment. These results imply that the cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylative modification of intracellular proteins may play a regulatory role in tumor cell growth and in theophylline-mediated tumor regression.