The effect of interleukin(IL)-8 and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) on the induction of nitric oxide (NO) synthase in rat peritoneal neutrophils (PMN) ex vivo was studied. IL-8, but not LTB4, caused concentration-dependent inhibition of the induction of a Ca(2+)-independent NO synthase ex vivo. The effect of IL-8 was not attributable to the synthesis of an inhibitor of this enzyme. These findings suggest complex regulatory control of the induction of NO synthase by cytokines.