We have shown previously that induced maturation of the human myeloid leukemia cell line, HL-60, is associated with a selective down-regulation of guanine ribonucleotide synthesis and depletion of intracellular guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and guanosine diphosphate (GDP) pools. We showed, furthermore, that inhibitors of the enzyme, inosine monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the initial rate-limiting step of guanylate synthesis from the central intermediate IMP, are potent inducers of myeloid maturation in these cells. We now show that induced maturation of HL-60 cells is prevented or impaired if intracellular concentrations of guanine ribonucleotides are maintained at high levels. HL-60 cells can utilize exogenous guanine and guanosine to maintain GTP and GDP pools through a salvage pathway that bypasses guanylate synthesis from IMP. Moreover, incubation of HL-60 cells with guanosine or guanine (10(-6) to 10(-4) mol/L) prevents both the depletion of intracellular guanine ribonucleotides and the induction of myeloid maturation caused by the IMP dehydrogenase inhibitor, tiazofurin. These findings provide strong additional support for the concept that terminal myeloid differentiation is influenced by a guanine ribonucleotide-dependent regulatory system.