Chemokines are involved in the regulation of leukocyte migration and for some of them, T-cell costimulation. To date, the only direct property of lymphotactin (Lptn), the unique member of the C class of chemokines, consists of T-cell chemoattraction. This report describes a novel function for Lptn in human T-lymphocyte biology, by demonstrating the direct ability of Lptn to both inhibit and costimulate CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell activation, respectively. Lptn but not RANTES inhibited CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, through a decreased production of Th1 (interleukin [IL]-2, interferon [IFN]-gamma) but not Th2 (IL-4, IL-13) lymphokines, and decreased IL-2R alpha expression. Transfections in Jurkat cells showed a Lptn-mediated transcriptional down-regulation of gene-promoter activities specific for Th1-type lymphokines, as well as of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT) but not AP-1 or NF-KB enhancer activities. This suppressive action of Lptn could be compensated by overexpression of NF-ATc but not NF-ATp. CD4(+) T-cell proliferation was completely restored by exogenous IL-2 or reversed by pertussis toxin, wortmannin, and genistein, suggesting the involvement of multiple partners in Lptn signaling. In contrast to CD4(+) cells, Lptn exerted a potent costimulatory activity on CD8(+) T-cell proliferation and IL-2 secretion. These data provide important insights into the role of Lptn in differential regulation of normal human T-cell activation and its possible implication in immune response disorders. (Blood. 2000;96:420-428)