Receptors known as DREG adhesion molecules on human neutrophils and monocytes provide for homing of these phagocytic leukocytes to sites of inflammation. They mediate the initial adhesive interaction of the leukocytes to vascular endothelial cells and are then shed from the cell surface in response to chemotactic factors and inflammatory mediators. Systemic accumulation of these agents following major injury or sepsis may therefore promote shedding of DREG receptors from circulating leukocytes and impair their recruitment to sites of inflammation. To test this hypothesis, we have analyzed the expression of DREG receptors on neutrophils and monocytes from 25 patients admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Receptor expression was measured by flow cytometry of cells stained with murine monoclonal DREG-56 anti-DREG antibody. For 14 nonseptic patients, mean monocyte positivity for DREG was reduced from 64% to 40%. For 11 septic patients, mean neutrophil and monocyte positivity for DREG was reduced from 94% to 82% and 64% to 34%, respectively. These results suggest that monocytes are more affected than neutrophils in vivo by conditions expected to stimulate shedding of DREG and that sepsis promotes shedding of these adherence receptors. Accumulation of DREG-negative monocytes in association with sepsis may be sufficient to impair their recruitment to inflammatory sites and limit their contribution to host defense against infection and tissue repair.