Previous work has shown that naturally phosphorylated prolactin antagonizes the growth-promoting activities of unmodified prolactin (U-PRL) and that this effect is duplicated by a molecular mimic, S179D PRL. At the same time, the S179D PRL is a superagonist with regard to expression of some PRL-regulated genes. We have asked whether the different activities of U-PRL and S179D PRL are the result of differential signaling. HC11 cells (a normal mouse mammary cell line) were grown to confluence, primed with hydrocortisone, and then exposed to the PRLs. A 15 min incubation of PRL-naive cells led to substantial tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak 2 and Stat 5a by U-PRL and an essentially equivalent Jak 2 activation by S179D PRL. The latter, however, was accompanied by reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat 5a. EMSA analysis using a Stat 5 binding site showed both PRLs to cause equivalent binding of nuclear proteins and that most of what bound was complexed through Stat 5a. Phosphoamino acid analysis of Stat 5 showed S179D PRL to double the amount of serine phosphorylation versus that seen with U-PRL. Analysis of the MAP kinase pathway showed U-PRL capable of activation of ERKs 1 and 2 but that signaling via ERKs 1 and 2 was greater with S179D PRL. A 7-day incubation in either PRL increased beta-casein mRNA levels, but S179D PRL caused a 2-fold increase over that seen with U-PRL. The increase, over that seen with U-PRL, was blocked by the MAP kinase inhibitor, PD98059. After 7 days of treatment with S179D PRL, expression of the short PRL receptor was doubled, and signaling showed a greater dependence on the MAP kinase pathway (2.9-fold increase in ERK 1 and 2 activation). We conclude that although both PRLs use both pathways to some extent, U-PRL signals primarily through Jak 2-Stat 5 whereas S179D PRL signals primarily through the MAP kinase pathway especially after prolonged exposure. This is the first demonstration of differential involvement of signaling pathways by different forms of PRL.