The accumulation of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in tissue is an essential element of the inflammatory response that is important in host defense. Adherence to endothelium constitutes the first step in PMN migration from the vascular compartment to the interstitium. We demonstrate that human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) adherent to plastic can result in expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a potent PMN chemoattractant and activating cytokine. Northern blot analyses showed PBMC adherent to plastic expressed IL-8 steady-state mRNA levels by 30 min, peaked at 8 h, and then decreased over the next 16 h. In contrast, nonadherent PBMC (cultured in teflon chambers) expressed less than 25% of the maximal IL-8 steady-state mRNA levels as compared with adherent PBMC. Adherent PBMC-associated IL-8 determined by immunochemistry, supernatant chemotactic bioactivity, and extracellular antigenic IL-8 paralleled IL-8 mRNA expression. Antigenic and bioactive IL-8 were significantly apparent by 4-8 h, respectively, and increased significantly to maximal levels by 24 h. Furthermore, adherent PBMC IL-8 gene expression was suppressed by either concomitant treatment with actinomycin-D or cycloheximide, yet specific neutralizing antibodies directed against either IL-1 beta or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha failed to alter adherence-induced steady-state IL-8 mRNA levels. These data support the hypothesis that PBMC adherence is an important signal for the production of IL-8, and may be essential to the development of the inflammatory response through the elicitation of PMN.