The mechanisms of acquired resistance to MTX were studied in P388 murine leukemia cell lines that were sensitive or resistant to ADR. The rate of MTX accumulation in ADR-sensitive cells that have acquired resistance to MTX was found to be lower than that measured in cells that were sensitive to both drugs. Furthermore, in contrast to drug-sensitive cells, in the ADR-sensitive MTX-resistant cells, most of the intracellular MTX (86.2%) was bound and MTX polyglutamation was not detected. The initial rate of MTX accumulation in cells that were resistant to both drugs was comparable to that measured in cells that were sensitive to both drugs or that were resistant only to ADR. However, in the cells that were resistant to both drugs, the rate of MTX accumulation was maintained at its initial level for a period that was considerably longer than that found in the other cell lines. After 3 h of exposure to MTX, the accumulation of MTX in cells that were resistant to both drugs was fourfold higher than that measured in cells that were sensitive to both drugs. Furthermore, while 65 to 70% of the intracellular MTX was free, in cells sensitive to both drugs, or resistant only to ADR, the corresponding value in cells that were resistant to both drugs was less than 1.5%, and a much lower proportion of the MTX was polyglutamated. The sensitivity to TMQ of ADR-sensitive, MTX-resistant cells was similar to that found in cells that were sensitive to ADR and MTX. However, ADR-resistant cells, sensitive or resistant to MTX, were markedly resistant to TMQ. The sensitivity of ADR-resistant MTX-sensitive cells to TMQ was restored by the presence of 10 microM verapamil. Such an effect was not observed in cells resistant to both drugs. It is suggested that P388 cells that have previously acquired resistance to ADR, when now selected by MTX, retain the MTX-transport system (in contrast to ADR-sensitive, MTX-resistant cells) and become resistant to MTX by increasing the activity of DHFR. The results obtained in ADR-resistant cells also suggested that resistance to TMQ was part of the multidrug resistance phenomenon.