Six human colon tumor cell lines were analyzed for their constitutive levels of the c-myc protein. The nuclear proto-oncogene, c-myc, was detected as an expressed product in all of the human colon tumor cell lines analyzed. The poorly differentiated cell lines HCT116, RKO and C showed c-myc levels that averaged 2-fold greater than their well-differentiated counterparts, i.e., GEO, CBS and FET. When c-myc levels and responses to serum induction were analyzed in the presence of inducers of differentiation, i.e., dimethylformamide, retinoic acid, sodium butyrate and TGF-beta, distinct patterns of sensitivity and resistance emerged. Nuclear c-myc levels were reduced in all the colon cell phenotypes treated with dimethylformamide or sodium butyrate. Only the well-differentiated human colon tumor cell lines were responsive to transforming growth factor-beta. Only one of the human colon tumor cell lines (GEO) responded to retinoic acid. Increased levels of c-myc protein were found to correlate well with greater growth rates and with poor differentiation class. Similarly, a parallel sensitivity to down-regulation of c-myc levels and attenuation of c-myc induction curves for inducers of differentiation were observed in growth sensitive human colon tumor cell lines.