We investigated the role of fyn kinase on the expression of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptors (M-CSFR) and macrophage differentiation using a human myelomonocytic leukemic cell line THP-1. Treatment of THP-1 cells with Bryostatin 1 (bryo 1), a potent protein kinase C (PKC) activator, caused a major fraction of them to become adherent (AD) with distinct monocyte/macrophage characteristics. The differentiation was associated with an enhanced expression of M-CSFR and fyn tyrosine kinase activity, occurring primarily on cells in the AD fraction. Scatchard plot analysis showed that the enhanced expression of M-CSFR binding activity was due to an increase in total receptor number per AD cell, rather than an increase in the binding affinity. Fyn antisense (AS) phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (s-oligos) inhibited the up-regulation of both M-CSFR and c-fms transcripts in bryo 1-treated THP-1 cells. In contrast, fyn sense s-oligos did not affect the up-regulation of either M-CSFR or c-fms mRNA in bryo 1-treated cells. In addition, fyn AS s-oligos blocked the expression of AD capacity in bryo 1-treated THP-1 cells. The efficacy of fyn AS s-oligos as macromolecular inhibitors was verified by their ability to lower fyn-associated tyrosine kinase and in vitro autophosphorylation activity in bryo 1-treated THP-1 cells. Taken together, our results show a strong correlation between M-CSFR expression and monocytic differentiation in THP-1 cells, and suggest a possible role of c-fyn tyrosine kinase in mediating these processes.