When human MG-63 osteosarcoma cells are triggered with IL-1 beta, they produce, among various other cytokines, also monocyte chemotactic proteins (MCPs). Homogeneous MCP-1, MCP-2 and MCP-3 were found to induce production of gelatinase B and chemotaxis of monocytes. Based on the almost complete amino acid sequence of natural MCP-3, two sets of degenerated oligonucleotides were used for the amplification of MCP-3 cDNA. Total RNA from stimulated MG-63 cells was reverse transcribed and PCRs done on the mRNA:cDNA duplex. Using the PCR-product, several cDNAs were isolated from a cDNA library of IL-1-stimulated MG-63 cells. From the cDNA sequence the complete primary structure of the protein was deduced: MCP-3 shows 71% and 58% amino acid homology with MCP-1 and MCP-2, respectively. Our study establishes MCP-3 as an inflammatory cytokine that regulates macrophage functions. Because MCP-3 is often produced by tumor cell lines and regulates protease secretion by macrophages, its production might also contribute to invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.