Tyrosine phosphorylation in human blood lymphocytes was studied as a function of stimulation with concanavalin A (ConA) and treatment of the cells with interferon alpha 2 (IFN alpha 2) and/or an IFN-derived C-terminal synthetic peptide 2438 (amino acid residues 124-138). Both IFN alpha 2 and the peptide 2438 decreased the level of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the ConA-stimulated cells. In unstimulated cells, IFN alpha 2 increased, and the peptide 2438 decreased the level of the tyrosine phosphorylation. A possible correlation of these effects with stimulation of cell proliferation is discussed.