The dose-response relationship of cytochrome P4501b1 (Cyp1b1) and Cyp1a1 induction in livers of TCDD-treated female C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice are described. The animals were treated i.p. with 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 50 micrograms TCDD/kg for 24 h, and Cyp1b1 and Cyp1a1 mRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR. In the livers of both mouse strains, the Cyp1b1 and Cyp1a1 mRNA content was increased after TCDD exposure in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were more pronounced in TCDD-responsive C57BL/6J mice than in the less responsive DBA/2J mice, although Cyp1a1 was more responsive to TCDD than Cyp1b1 in both strains. The calculated ED50 values for Cyp1b1 and Cyp1a1 induction in livers of TCDD-treated C57BL/6J mice were 1.3 and 0.08 micrograms TCDD/kg, respectively. The corresponding values for half-maximal induction response in livers of DBA/2J mice were 3.4 micrograms TCDD/kg for Cyp1b1 and 1.5 micrograms TCDD/kg for Cyp1a1. These results show that Cyp1b1 mRNA expression is less inducible by TCDD than Cyp1a1. Both genes are highly inducible in TCDD-responsive C57BL/6J mice expressing the high affinity arylhydrocarbon receptor (Ah receptor), suggesting that Cyp1b1, like Cyp1a1, is a potential Ah receptor-regulated gene.