We have studied the effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-activated neutrophils [polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN)] on endothelial ectoenzyme [angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and 5'-nucleotidase (NCT)] activities in cultured rabbit aortic endothelial cells (EC) with the use of [3H]benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Pro and 14C-labeled AMP as substrates, respectively, under first-order reaction conditions. PMA (1-1,000 ng/ml) or PMN alone had no effect on ACE activity. When PMA was incubated together with PMN (PMN/EC = 1.25:1 or 2.5 x 10(5) neutrophils/ml) for 4 h in Earle's salts, a PMA dose-dependent decrease in ACE activity was observed. Threshold PMA concentration was 2 ng/ml. At 8 ng PMA/ml, ACE activity was totally abolished, without any evidence of cytotoxicity, as inferred from release of 51Cr from prelabeled EC. The decrease in ACE activity was also dependent on PMN concentration and was detectable at PMN/EC values as low as 1.25:10 (0.25 x 10(5) PMN/ml). Inhibition of ACE occurred as early as 1 h after incubation (PMA 10 ng/ml, PMN/EC = 1.25:1). PMA alone caused a small but significant increase in NCT activity, whereas PMA coincubation with PMN produced a significant decrease in NCT activity (20-29%), which was PMA and PMN concentration independent. PMA increased PMN adherence to endothelial monolayers in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreating PMN with monoclonal antibody 60.3 (raised against the adhesion glycoprotein CD18) or placing a 2-microns filter between PMN and EC, protected the decrease in ACE activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)