Phorbol esters induce the differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells HL-60 and U-937 along the monocytic-macrophage lineage. This process has been associated with the induction of several cellular protooncogenes, including the c-fos and c-fms genes. We now report that phorbol ester-induced differentiation of the HL-60 and U-937 cells results in the induction of the expression of the c-sis platelet-derived growth factor 2 (PDGF-2) protooncogene. sis mRNA transcripts were not detectable in the uninduced cells but were detectable within 12 hr of phorbol ester induction. Concomitantly, the induced cells were shown to synthesize and secrete biologically active PDGF-like proteins, identified in the conditioned medium of the phorbol ester-treated cells by direct immunoprecipitation with PDGF antiserum. Addition of cycloheximide to phorbol ester-treated HL-60 cells superinduced sis mRNA transcripts. c-sis gene transcripts were also detected in freshly isolated human monocytes but not in human granulocytes or in HL-60 cells induced to differentiate along the granulocytic lineage. Activation of the c-sis/PDGF-2 gene in human hematopoietic cells during monocytic differentiation may serve in the mediation of physiologic functions of the differentiated cells by means of the secretion of potent PDGF-like mitogen.