CD38 ligation with the specific mAb IB4 induced early and late signaling events in Jurkat T cells, as judged by the transient induction of tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1, c-Cbl, zeta-associated protein (ZAP)-70, Shc, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-2 (Erk-2) as mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and increased expression of the activation Ag CD69. In addition, CD38 ligation induced Ras-dependent events such as Erk-2 mobility shift and increased Erk-2 kinase activity. Further evidence that Erk-2 activation is regulated by CD38 ligation was obtained indirectly with the observed induction of Raf-1, Lck, and Sos-1 mobility shifts, processes that are believed to be dependent, at least in part, on MAP kinase activation. Using a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin A, or a protein kinase C inhibitor, Ro-31-8220, we found that the anti-CD38-induced Erk-2 activation is both protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C dependent. CD38 ligation also resulted in increased CD3-zeta tyrosine phosphorylation and its association with ZAP-70. CD38 ligation in a Jurkat Lck-deficient mutant, JCam1, failed to induce substrate tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of Erk-2. These data indicated that in Jurkat T cells, CD38 receptor triggering results in Lck-regulated activation of both Raf-1/MAP kinase and CD3-zeta/ZAP-70/phospholipase C-gamma1 signaling pathways.