The interaction of CD28 with its counter-receptor, B7-1 (CD 80), on antigen-presenting cells induces a co-signal in T cells required to promote antigen-dependent interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and to prevent clonal anergy. CD28 stimulation causes both protein-tyrosine kinase and phosphatidylinositol3-kinase (PI3-K) activation, suggesting a possible role for these enzyme activities in CD28 co-signal transduction. Here, we investigate the effect of wortmannin, a selective and irreversible PI3-K inhibitor on CD28 co-signaling events in the Jurkat T cell line. Wortmannin added to cell cultures partially inhibits CD28-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the putative p110 catalytic subunit of PI3-K, but does not block CD28-induced association of the p85 PI3-K regulatory subunit with the CD28 receptor. Wortmannin inhibits in a dose-dependent manner both total cellular PI3-K activity and CD28-induced receptor-associated PI3-K activity. Wortmannin (1 microM) inhibits cellular PI3-K activity by 90% with complete inhibition achieved at 10 microM. The inhibitory effect of wortmannin on cellular PI3-K activity is prolonged ( > 18 h), suggesting that the drug is not readily metabolized by Jurkat T cells. Wortmannin, at concentrations that blocked PI3-K activity, fails to inhibit the synergistic effect of CD28 on IL-2 secretion in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin. These data demonstrate that CD28-induced signaling events other than the activation of PI3-K catalytic activity contribute to the control of IL-2 secretion.