The chemoattractants, N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe), complement C5a and platelet-activating factor (PAF), induce beta-glucuronidase release and aggregation and an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ [Ca2+]i in human neutrophils. We studied the roles of cAMP and cGMP in neutrophil avtivation, using their cell-permeant analogues, N6,2'-O-dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) and N2,2'-O-dibutyryl guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (Bt2cGMP) and the NO-containing compounds, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) and its prodrug, molsidomine (SIN-10). Bt2cAMP, Bt2cGMP, SIN-1 and SIN-10 but not SNP inhibited exocytosis induced by fMet-Leu-Phe. Superoxide dismutase potentiated the inhibitory effect of SIN-1. Bt2cGMP and SNP potentiated C5a-induced beta-glucuronidase release, Bt2cAMP, KCN, SIN-1 and SIN-10 being ineffective. KCN partially reversed the stimulatory effect of SNP, and in the presence of superoxide dismutase, SIN-1 potentiated C5a-induced exocytosis. PAF-induced beta-glucuronidase release was not affected by Bt2cAMP, Bt2cGMP, SNP and SIN-1. Bt2cGMP was more effective than Bt2cAMP to inhibit aggregation and the increase in [Ca2+]i induced by fMet-Leu-Phe at submaximally effective concentrations. C5a-induced rises in [Ca2+]i were not affected by Bt2cAMP and Bt2cGMP. Bt2cAMP but not Bt2cGMP inhibited the effect of PAF at submaximally effective concentrations on [Ca2+]i. Our data suggest (I) that Bt2cGMP and Bt2cAMP differentially modulate neutrophil activation, that (II) NO-containing compounds partially mimic the effects of Bt2cGMP on exocytosis and that (III) cGMP plays an inhibitory role in fMet-Leu-Phe- and a stimulatory role in C5a-induced beta-glucuronidase release.