The regulation of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) formation by elutriation-purified human monocytes was studied in vitro and compared with that for granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) and granulocyte CSF (G-CSF). The levels of the three CSFs were measured by immunoassay. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 ng/ml) was able to enhance CSF formation but the levels were significantly influenced by the presence of a cyclooxygenase product(s) in the cultures. In the presence of LPS, both M-CSF and GM-CSF were up-regulated by cyclooxygenase inhibition (indomethacin, 10(-5) M), while G-CSF was down-regulated. Exogenous prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 10(-7) M) reversed the actions of indomethacin. In LPS-treated cells, in contrast to the different regulation by endogenous eicosanoid of M-CSF and GM-CSF formation and G-CSF formation, both interleukin-4 (IL-4, 250 pM) and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (10(-7) M) lowered the amounts of all CSFs. When the actions of CSFs were examined for their effects on CSF formation, M-CSF could not stimulate either GM-CSF or G-CSF synthesis, in contrast to literature findings, while GM-CSF enhanced M-CSF formation but not that of G-CSF. These studies indicate that there can be both coordinate and noncoordinate control of CSF expression by human monocytes.