Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl phenylalanine (FMLP) to clarify the role of excited oxygen species in inducing changes of membrane fluidity. Membrane fluidity was assessed by the excimer-forming lipid technique using pyrenedecanoic acid and flow cytometry. Membrane fluidity of PMN decreased following stimulation with PMA, and the extent of decrease was both time-and dose-dependent. FMLP at 10-5M induced a decrease, while FMLP at 10-7M induced a rapid increase. On stimulation with 10-7M FMLP as well as in a resting condition, the change of membrane fluidity of PMN from patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) was similar to that of normal PMN. However, on stimulation with PMA or 10-5M FMLP, CGD PMN did not show a significant decrease. In addition, normal PMN incubated with catalase inhibited the decrease. These findings suggest that the generation of excited oxygen species., particularly of H2O2, is important in inducing a decrease of PMN membrane fluidity.