The effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in superoxide production by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was studied. Cypridina luciferin analog (CLA) dependent chemiluminescence was used to detect superoxide anion radicals. PAF induced superoxide generation in human PMN in a dose-dependent manner. Preincubation with a small amount of PAF (5 x 10(-9) M) enhanced PMN superoxide release induced by various stimuli, such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), opsonized zymosan (OZ), calcium ionophore (A23187) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). The PAF antagonist, CV-6209, inhibited superoxide production induced by PAF, but not that induced by other stimuli. These findings would indicate that PAF may play an important role at inflammatory reaction sites and that CV-6209 may inhibit excessive inflammatory reaction.