The alpha and beta forms of recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta) and of recombinant Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF alpha and TNF beta) induced dose-dependent neutrophil migration into rat peritoneal cavities. Migration induced by both IL-1s showed a bell-shaped dose-response curve and IL-1 beta was 3-fold more potent than IL-1 alpha. Pretreatment of the animals with dexamethasone or depletion of the peritoneal macrophage population, abolished the neutrophil migration induced by the four cytokines. "In vitro" stimulation of macrophage monolayers with IL-1 beta and the TNFs released a factor into the supernatant which, unlike these cytokines, induced neutrophil migration in dexamethasone pretreated animals. These results suggest that the neutrophil migration induced by IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and TNF beta is not due to a direct effect on neutrophils, but occurs via the release of a chemotactic factor(s) from resident macrophages.