Three distinct Fc receptors for IgG, Fc gamma RI, Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII are known to be associated with human myeloid cells. Using mAb specific for these receptors, and the hydridoma cells lines that produce these mAb, we have examined the ability of each of these receptors on different myeloid cells and cell lines to mediate killing of tumor and red cell targets. Hybridoma cells (HC) expressing anti-Fc gamma RI, Fc gamma RII or Fc gamma RIII upon their surface were used as model self-directed tumor targets. Chicken erythrocytes (CE) were used as another type of target cell and in this case effector cell cytotoxicity was mediated by heteroantibodies (HA) composed of Fab fragments of anti-Fc gamma R mAb covalently linked to Fab fragments of rabbit anti-CE antibodies. Monocytes, lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and the myeloid cell lines U937, HL-60 and THP-1 were used as effector cells either in their native state or after activation with rIFN-gamma. Direct comparison of cytotoxicity by the same effector cell population against both tumor and erythroid targets has permitted definitive evaluation of the ability of the different Fc gamma R to promote cytolysis under two different conditions. Monocytes were able to utilize Fc gamma RI, Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII in killing both CE and HC targets, and incubation with rIFN-gamma augmented their ability to kill CE, particularly through Fc gamma RI. Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII mediated killing of CE by untreated neutrophils. rIFN-gamma induced PMNs to express Fc gamma RI and to mediate killing of CE through this receptor. Moreover, HC targets were not lyzed by untreated neutrophils, but rIFN-gamma activated neutrophils killed HC bearing surface anti-Fc gamma RI and anti-Fc gamma RII, but not anti-Fc gamma RIII. Myeloid cell lines HL-60 and U937 were unable to perform cytotoxicity without prior culture with rIFN-gamma, following which they killed CE through Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII, but were still incapable of HC lysis. THP-1, another myeloid cell line, was cytotoxic to CE through Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII without activation. Following rIFN-gamma treatment, cytotoxicity through these two Fc gamma R increased and was also mediated by Fc gamma RIII but these cells were still unable to kill HC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)