tat protein, a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gene product that functions as a transactivator for HIV replication, is known to be secreted extracellularly by infected cells. To determine the potential role of tat in the dissemination of HIV into extravascular tissue, this protein was examined for its ability to activate human endothelial cells. The results show that tat does indeed stimulate endothelial cells. This is evidenced by their expression of the endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecules, E-selectin, critical for the initial binding of leukocytes to the blood vessel wall, and their increased synthesis of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine known to enhance endothelial cell permeability. Furthermore, tat acts synergistically with low concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha to enhance IL-6 secretion. These data suggest that extracellular tat protein secreted or released into the microenvironment may contribute significantly to the determination of specific sites of leukocyte binding to blood vessels, to transmigration into tissue, and to eventual dissemination of HIV-infected cells or free virions into tissue.