Modulation by fatty acids of the cytotoxic effect of recombinant tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) toward WEHI 164 mouse fibrosarcoma cells has been examined. Preincubating the highly TNF-sensitive WEHI clone 13 cells for 44 hr with 50 mumol/L of 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3, 18:3n-6, 20:3n-6 or 20:4n-6 reduced cell survival 22 hr after challenge with TNF (40 ng/L) by 65%, 72%, 60%, 98% and 85%, respectively. In comparison, 18:3n-3, 18:2n-6 and 18:1n-9 had only negligible effects on TNF-induced toxicity. Different extent of fatty acid incorporation into cell total phospholipids or triglycerides could not explain the observed effects on TNF cytotoxicity, and the enhanced cytotoxicity could therefore not be explained merely by an increased unsaturation of the cell membranes. In addition to the fatty acid supplied, preincubation with 18:2n-6, 18:3n-6 or 18:3n-3 also enriched the cells with 20:2n-6, 20:3n-6 and 20:3n-3, respectively, most likely due to chain elongation. The results suggest that the WEHI cells have a low delta 6 desaturase activity, and that n-6 and n-3 acids must have at least 3 or 4 double bonds, respectively, to enhance TNF cytotoxicity in WEHI cells. Dexamethasone partly inhibited TNF-induced cytotoxicity, while cyclooxygenase, thromboxane synthetase or lipoxygenase inhibitors had no or negligible effects. The antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) completely inhibited TNF-induced cytotoxicity, while the structurally and functionally similar antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene had no such effect, indicating that BHA does not block TNF cytotoxicity through its antioxidant effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)