The characteristics of the hepatocarcinogenesis induced by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were compared with that induced by other peroxisome proliferators such as [4-chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio]acetic acid (Wy-14,643) and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). Male F-344 rats were given a diet containing DHEA at 0.5 or 1%, Wy-14,643 at 0.1% and DEHP at 2% for up to 78 weeks. In rats fed 0.5 or 1% DHEA the incidence of neoplasias was 20% after 52 weeks. At 78 weeks all rats treated with 1% DHEA had numerous grossly visible nodules and the incidence of hepatic neoplasia was dose-dependent. The magnitude of hepatocellular tumorigenicity after DHEA treatment was less potent than that after Wy-14,643, but more than that after DEHP treatment. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity increased three- or six-fold after a 10 week course of 0.5 or 1% DHEA respectively and this was significantly lower than that induced in Wy-14,643- or DEHP-fed rats. From 52 to 78 weeks these activities increased 3-9 times over that in controls. In both the group of rats treated with Wy-14,643 and those treated with DEHP, peroxisomal beta-oxidation constantly increased 11- to 15-fold during the experiment. Catalase activity increased 1.3- to 1.5-fold for the first 10 weeks of DHEA treatment and then recovered to the control level. The activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase decreased markedly after 30 weeks in DHEA-treated rats and the decreases were sustained for up to 78 weeks. The profile of changes in enzyme activities in the rats fed DHEA was not significantly different from that of those fed Wy-14,643 or DEHP. There were no increases in 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, oxidative DNA damage or lipid peroxide level in the liver in any of the treated rats at 10 or 30 weeks. Since these results showed that the characteristics of hepatocarcinogenesis caused by DHEA were basically similar to those caused by Wy-14,643 and DEHP, typical peroxisome proliferators, hepatocarcinogenesis induced by DHEA is probably due to the same mechanisms as that induced by general peroxisome proliferators.