Rat serosal mast cells were evaluated for their capacity to generate a nitric oxide-like factor by two bioassays: inhibition of platelet aggregation and stimulation of mast cell guanylate cyclase. Incubation of mast cells with human washed platelets, both treated with indomethacin, inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation which was potentiated by superoxide dismutase and reversed by oxyhaemoglobin. When mast cells alone were stirred at 1000 rpm, a time dependent increase in the levels of their cGMP but not cAMP was observed. Preincubation of mast cells with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine significantly enhanced E. coli lipopolysaccharide-evoked histamine release. Our results show that mast cell histamine release can be modulated by an intrinsically generated nitric oxide-like factor.