Mutations in Smads, intermediates of transforming growth factor-beta signaling, are known to contribute to the loss of sensitivity to transforming growth factor-beta, a common feature of many neoplastic cells. However, not much information is available on Smad alterations in cervical cancer and so we probed, for the first time, for alterations in Smad 2 and Smad 4 genes using human cervical cancer cell lines and human cervical tissue samples. Using PCR/reverse transcription-PCR, single-stranded conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing, we observed a deletion of 'G' in the L3 loop (crucial in Smad-receptor interaction) in C-33A cells, and an insertion of 'A' in codon 122 (loss of MH2 domain) from a cervical tumor sample, both of which caused frame shift and pretermination in Smad 2. In addition, a G/A transition at 31 bp upstream-nontranslated regions of exon 8 of Smad 4 was found in Bu 25TK cells. Smad 2 expression was less in some of the cervical tumor samples than that of nonmalignant samples and six cancer samples showed C-terminal deletions that abolish Smad 2 phosphorylation sites. The loss of expression of Smad 4 found in some cervical tumor samples was due to transcription loss rather than deletion of the gene. Our results highlight an important role for Smad 2 and Smad 4 in human cervical tumors.