We have investigated the relationship between protein kinase C (PKC), levels of resistance and drug used for selection in a series of human KB carcinoma cell lines by comparing protein kinase C activity and PKC alpha, beta I, beta II, gamma, delta, epsilon, and zeta subspecies protein expression. PKC alpha protein expression was increased by 600% and 375% in KB-A1 and KB-C1 lines respectively over the parent KB-3-1 line; only KB-A1 cells showed increased PKC delta expression. Expression of other PKC subspecies was equal to that of KB-3-1 cells. There was considerable variation between the different KB cell lines in total cytosolic PKC activity, the KB-A1 and KB-C1 lines showing 400% and 350% increases respectively, KB-V1 and KB-8-5-11 about 180%, and KB-8-5 no increase relative to the parent KB-3-1 line. For calcium-independent PKC activity, the KB-C1 and KB-A1 lines only were increased over the KB-3-1 line. Immunoprecipitation with antisera to PKC subspecies confirmed that the increase in KB-A1 cytosolic total PKC activity was due largely to PKC alpha and partially to PKC delta. Membrane-associated PKC activity was increased by 500% and 350% in KB-A1 and KB-C1 lines respectively, by 250% and 270% in KB-V1 and KB-8-5-11, and not increased in KB-8-5 cells relative to the KB-3-1 cells. For KB-C1, KB-8-5-11, and KB-8-5 lines, which show decreasing resistance to colchicine, our results suggest a correlation between PKC and multidrug resistance in cells selected for resistance to this drug. There is no correlation between PKC and multidrug resistance for cells selected in different drugs. Our study therefore suggests that specific PKC subspecies are associated with the MDR phenotype of some KB cell lines, but that the extent of PKC involvement depends on the type of drug used for selection and its concentration.