Inhibition by alpha-cyano-3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-5-phenylthiomethylcinnamamide (ST 638) of tyrosine-specific protein kinase was examined using epidermal growth factor (EGF)-treated A431 cells at the concentration of 25 to 100 microM. ST 638 had negligible effects on the growth and morphology of A431 cells and on EGF binding to its receptor, and subsequent down-regulation of the receptor. ST 638 specifically inhibited EGF-induced phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of whole cell proteins in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues. ST 638 greatly inhibited the EGF-induced phosphorylation of lipocortin I at 25 microM, and yet had a negligible effect on the EGF-induced phosphorylation of EGF receptor. Neither the amount of [35S]methionine-labeled lipocortin I nor the serine/threonine phosphorylation level of fodrin beta-subunit was affected by the same concentration of ST 638. These results indicate that the phosphorylation of lipocortin I is not relevant to the transformation of A431 cells. In cell lines transformed by src or fgr oncogene encoding tyrosine kinase, ST 638 also inhibited phosphorylation of calpactin I (p36) without affecting that of the oncogene products. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that ST 638 specifically inhibited the EGF-induced phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of cellular proteins in A431 cells.