The capacity of human melanocytes and melanoma cells to produce IL-8 and monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) was investigated. Melanocytes expressed mRNA for IL-8 and MCAF, when stimulated with either IL-1 alpha or TNF alpha, but not when stimulated with IL-6, IFN gamma, or LPS alone. IL-8 and MCAF could be induced in a dose-dependent fashion with doses as low as 0.1 ng/ml TNF alpha and 0.5 ng/ml IL-1 alpha. IL-8 and MCAF mRNA were rapidly expressed and peaked between 2 and 4 h for IL-8 and between 4 and 8 h for MCAF. This correlated well with the accumulation of IL-8 antigen as measured by a radioimmunoassay. Supernatants from melanocyte cultures stimulated with either IL-1 alpha or TNF alpha and separated on a heparin-Sepharose column became positive for neutrophil and monocyte chemotactic activity in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. When IFN gamma was added to melanocyte cultures stimulated with suboptimal doses of TNF alpha there was a synergistic increase in secreted IL-8 protein and monocyte chemotactic activity. These data provide further evidence for the possible role of melanocytes in the initiation of an inflammatory reaction. Three different malignant melanoma cell lines stimulated with either TNF alpha or IL-1 alpha expressed IL-8 mRNA, but not mRNA for MCAF. The IL-8 mRNA signal corresponded well with the amount of secreted IL-8 protein. These data suggest that IL-8 and MCAF may play a role in growth regulation and spreading of melanomas.