A thiol protease inhibitor (TPI) was found in culture media of human malignant melanoma cells (Bowes) at 1.5 to 2.3 units/day/flask (full sheet, 75 sq cm). This amount well exceeded that for cultured nonmalignant cells (human fetal lung fibroblasts). In the intracellular region of the melanoma cells, TPI activity was localized mainly in the cytosol fraction. The difference in specific activities between the intracellular and extracellular TPI and the TPI accumulation in the culture media indicated that cultured melanoma cells release TPI. Partial purification and characterization of the TPI by column chromatography using Sephadex G-150, papain-Sepharose, and Sephadex G-50, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, revealed two distinct TPIs with molecular weights of 56,000 and 9,800 to 10,800. The latter (main) TPI had a high specificity for thiol proteases and was heat stable (60 degrees for 60 min), like previously reported normal human TPIs. The inhibitor, however, differed from normal human TPIs in that it had a lower molecular weight than any normal TPI, was unable to inhibit bromelain, and exhibited a mosaic pattern; namely, the low-molecular-weight TPI resembled liver-type TPI but the pH stability curve resembled serum-type TPI. The thiol protease, cathepsin B, was not detected in culture media of this human melanoma cell line.