The extracellular metalloprotease of Legionella pneumophila, also called tissue-destructive protease or major secretory protein, has been proposed as one of the virulence factors of this organism. Considering the decisive role played by the phagocytic cells in host defense against Legionella infection, we investigated the effect of this protease on the function of human neutrophils and monocytes. L. pneumophila protease inhibited the chemotactic response of neutrophils to F-Met-Leu-Phe and zymosan-activated serum in a concentration-dependent and heat-labile manner. A direct effect of the protease on the chemotactic activity of neutrophils was demonstrated by the continued inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis when the protease was removed following pre-incubation of the cells. In contrast, the enzyme had no effect on monocyte chemotaxis. The protease inhibited, also in a concentration-dependent and heat-labile manner, the binding of F-Met-Leu-Phe to both cell types. Neutrophil and monocyte oxidative burst response, as measured by superoxide release and chemiluminescence response, was not significantly affected by the enzyme. A slight enhancement of PMA-stimulated superoxide release was induced by the protease in both cell types. Lastly, the protease inhibited the killing of Listeria monocytogenes by neutrophils or monocytes. Inhibition of Listeria killing was concentration-dependent, heat-labile, and did not require the presence of the enzyme in the bactericidal assay. The inhibitory activity of L. pneumophila protease on neutrophil chemotaxis and on the listericidal activity of human neutrophils and monocytes demonstrated in this study provides evidence for a role of this enzyme in the pathogenesis of Legionnaires' disease.