Paraquat (PQ) is a herbicide known to generate O2 radicals and to injure lung epithelial cells, leading eventually to pulmonary fibrosis. To test for the possible existence of a direct cytotoxic action of PQ on endothelial cells, we have studied, for up to 5 days, the action of 10(-6) to 10(-4) M PQ on primary cultures of pig aortic endothelial cells and compared these effects to those obtained with exposure to 95% O2-5% CO2. The decrease in DNA and protein content of Petri dishes and the increase in lactate dehydrogenase release were found to depend on PQ concentration and the duration of exposure to PQ. The toxic effects of hyperoxia were intermediate, ranging between those obtained with 10(-5) and 10(-4) M PQ. Hyperoxia and 10(-4) M PQ produced a similar marked inhibition of DNA synthesis after a 1-day period of exposure. Combined exposure to both PQ and hyperoxia resulted in changes comparable to those obtained with hyperoxia alone (decrease in protein and DNA content) or PQ alone (lactate dehydrogenase release). Additive effects were seen only for the inhibition of DNA synthesis. The selenomethionine-related increase in glutathione peroxidase activity had a protective effect against hyperoxia-induced lactate dehydrogenase release but not against PQ induced cytolysis. Finally, shorter exposures to O2 and PQ revealed the existence of a trend toward recovery only for cells exposed to hyperoxia. The prolonged toxic action of PQ could not be related to PQ accumulation and storage by endothelial cells. These studies indicate that PQ can exert a direct, dose-dependent, and prolonged cytotoxic effect on cultured endothelial cells.