The proliferation of non-neoplastic T lymphocytes is regulated, in part, by the coordinated expression of genes encoding T-cell growth factor (interleukin 2, IL2), IL2 receptors (IL2R), and transferrin receptors (TFR). In addition to growth factors and their receptors, protooncogenes may regulate lymphocyte proliferation. We used cloned cDNAs homologous to 21 different protooncogenes to screen for their expression at the mRNA level in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with the mitogenic lectin phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and we compared the time course of accumulation of mRNAs for these protooncogenes to that of mRNAs for the IL2, IL2R, TFR, and histone H3 genes. mRNAs for c-abl, c-ets, c-yes, and N-ras were present in unstimulated PBMC. After stimulation of PBMC by PHA, we detected marked increases within 10 min in the levels of mRNA for c-fos and c-myc; within 6 hr for IL2 and IL2R mRNAs; within 14 hr for c-myb, p53, N-ras, and TFR mRNAs; and within 24-36 hr for H3 mRNA. Expression of c-abl, c-ets, and c-yes increased gradually following stimulation with PHA. None of the other protooncogenes tested was expressed in PBMC. Addition of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, before the addition of PHA to cultures, abolished the PHA-induced accumulation of mRNAs for c-myb, N-ras, and TFR, but not of mRNAs for c-fos, c-myc, IL2, and IL2R. These data indicate that c-fos, c-myc, IL2, and IL2R belong to a group of genes expressed early, whereas c-myb, N-ras, and TFR belong to a group of genes expressed later in PHA-activated PBMC, and that the products of the c-fos and c-myc protooncogenes are not required for expression of IL2 or IL2R genes. Addition of purified IL2 augmented the expression of the later-expressed genes c-myb, p53, N-ras, and TFR in PHA-stimulated cultures of PBMC, as well as of the early genes c-myc and IL2R, but not of c-fos and IL2, thus suggesting that PHA and IL2 stimulate the expression of overlapping, but nonidentical, sets of genes in PBMC.