A comparison has been made between the effects of 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-octenal (HOE), two lipid peroxidation products, on the basal and GTPgammaS-stimulated activities of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PL-C) of rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes. PL-C activity was determined in vitro by measuring the hydrolysis of [3H] phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bis- phosphate (PtdIns-P2) added as exogenous substrate to neutrophil plasma membranes. PL-C was activated by concentrations of HNE ranging from 10(-8) to 10(-6) M both in the presence and in the absence of 2 x 10(-5) M GTPgammaS; HOE stimulated the enzymatic activity between 10(-11) and 10(-8) M; maximal stimulation was given by 10(-11) M HOE plus GTPgammaS. The aldehyde concentrations able to accelerate PtdIns-P2 breakdown displayed a good correspondence with those which have been reported to stimulate the oriented migration of rat neutrophils. Pretreatment of neutrophils with pertussis toxin prevented the stimulation of PL-C by 10(-11) M HOE and by HOE plus GTPgammaS. Our results suggest that the chemotactic action of HNE and HOE might depend on the activation of PL-C; furthermore a regulatory G protein appears to be involved in the acceleration of PtdIns-P2 turnover by HOE.