Recombinant human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) induced significant superoxide production in human neutrophils within 30 minutes after addition of stimulus and the response was complete within 2 hr. Other agents known to prime neutrophils, including LPS and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, lacked activity under the experimental conditions employed. Using a panel of pharmacologic inhibitors, we sought to compare GM-CSF-induced neutrophil superoxide to that produced by cells exposed to N-formyl methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Each stimulant displayed a different profile. Rolipram, a peak IV phosphodiesterase inhibitor, specifically inhibited neutrophil activation by GM-CSF and fMet-Leu-Phe, while superoxide production stimulated by PMA was unaffected. Staurosporine, a protein kinase C (PK-C) inhibitor, suppressed superoxide production induced by all three neutrophil stimulants. Cytochalasin B totally inhibited superoxide induced by GM-CSF under conditions that promote the fMet-Leu-Phe-induced response. Cytochalasin B did not markedly affect PMA-induced superoxide. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that intact PK-C activity is essential for neutrophil superoxide production, but that differences exist in the initial pathways induced by these neutrophil activators. Superoxide secretion from GM-CSF-treated neutrophils appears to be a direct, delayed response that requires assembly of microfilaments during exposure to the cytokine.