Two closely related members (mouse NUR 77 and rat NGFI-B) of the serum-inducible "early intermediate" gene family are nuclear hormone receptors containing zinc fingers of the cys2-cys2 type. This paper describes the complementary DNA cloning of the human equivalent of the NUR 77/NGFI-B genes isolated from LS-180 colon adenocarcinoma cells and named the ST-59 gene. ST-59 RNA expression was shown to be rapidly and transiently induced by fetal calf serum. To a lesser extent, epidermal growth factor could induce ST-59 RNA expression, but nerve growth factor, insulin-like growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor were ineffective. ST-59 receptor induction by serum was greatly amplified by cycloheximide and could be detected in actively growing LS-180 cells. The serum induction of RNA expression in these cells could be augmented by treatment with phorbol esters (10(-5) M), forskolin (10(-5) M), and 8-bromo cyclic AMP (4 x 10(-3) M). These results suggest that at least two signal pathways (protein kinase C and protein kinase A) participate in the ST-59 gene mRNA induction.