The influence of steroid hormones on the response of human astrocytoma cells (1321N1) to prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) has been investigated. Responsiveness to PGE(1) was determined by measuring the conversion of [(3)H]ATP to cyclic [(3)H]AMP in cells prelabeled with [(3)H]adenine. After incubation of the cells with dexamethasone, a marked increase in both the maximal effect (2- to 3-fold) and the potency (5-fold) of PGE(1) was observed. The effect was specific for the action of PGE(1) in that no change in the response of the cells to isoproterenol was observed. The EC(50) for dexamethasone was 0.001 muM and the effect was dependent on the presence of serum. The effect of dexamethasone was first observed after a 30- to 60-min lag and was maximal by 6-8 hr. Preconfluent cultures (3 days after seeding) exhibited optimal responsiveness to glucocorticoids. Both hydrocortisone and corticosterone mimicked the effect of dexamethasone but both were less potent. The action of dexamethasone was blocked by progesterone, testosterone, and 17alpha-methyltestosterone. Cycloheximide, at a concentration (1.0 mug/ml) that blocked protein synthesis (>90%) in 1321N1 cells, totally prevented the effect of dexamethasone on the response of the cells to PGE(1). Upon removal of dexamethasone from cells treated for 16 hr, responsiveness to PGE(1) returned to control levels with a half-time of 4 hr. Dexamethasone also was found to increase the response to PGE(1) of a Rous sarcoma virus-transformed human astrocytoma cell line and the WI-38 human fibroblast line. The most obvious interpretation of our findings is that glucocorticoids induce the synthesis of a protein that selectively modifies the sensitivity of adenylate cyclase to PGE(1).