Platelet inhibition by exogenous and endogenous nitrovasodilators has been shown to be associated with increases in cGMP, but proof of a role for cGMP in this process is lacking. We therefore studied the effects of cGMP and guanylate cyclase stimulation on human platelet secretion by pharmacologically modulating intraplatelet cGMP levels. The endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF)-like activator of guanylate cyclase, S-nitrosocysteine (SNOC), led to a dose-dependent inhibition of secretion in intact human platelets (IC50 = 10(-6) M). The cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor M&B 22,948 augmented SNOC-induced inhibition of secretion through elevations in cGMP without affecting cAMP levels (from 50% to 81% inhibition versus control, p = 0.02). Methylene blue reversed the inhibitory effects of SNOC on platelet secretion (p = 0.03). Dibutyryl-cGMP and 8-bromo-cGMP also significantly inhibited secretion in this system. Incubation of platelets with exogenous cGMP to achieve intraplatelet cGMP levels comparable to those after SNOC treatment resulted in similar degrees of inhibition of secretion (32% inhibition versus control, p = 0.01) and was also potentiated by M&B 22,948 (from 32% to 68% inhibition, p = 0.003). In addition, a highly significant correlation between intraplatelet cGMP levels and the degree of inhibition of secretion was demonstrable in these studies (r = 0.94, p = 0.016). These data demonstrate that elevation of intraplatelet cGMP levels by the EDRF-like compound SNOC is correlated with inhibition of human platelet secretion.