The effects of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) on several early events associated with lymphocyte activation were examined. The concentration of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) and membrane potential of murine lymphocytes were found to be altered upon exposure to UDMH; [Ca2+]i was increased in murine thymocytes, while splenocytes exhibited membrane hyperpolarization. In addition, interleukin-2 receptor expression induced by in-vitro concanavalin A stimulation of murine splenocytes at 24 and 48 h in the presence of UDMH was not affected. UDMH may interfere with the ability of these two distinct lymphocyte populations to regulate normal ionic fluctuations, thus contributing to altered immune responsiveness.