Class I major histocompatibility antigens in humans (HLA antigens) were found to participate in the regulation of T-cell activation and proliferation induced by phytohemagglutinin. W6/32, a monomorphic antibody directed against class I HLA-A,B,C antigens, significantly inhibited the phytohemagglutinin-induced cell proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Almost complete suppression of cell activation was achieved on a subfraction of peripheral blood lymphocytes enriched in Mo1+ monocyte/macrophage cells. This inhibition of cell proliferation takes place at an early stage of activation and was found to be adherent cell dependent. Removal of monocyte/macrophage type cells from peripheral blood lymphocytes completely abrogated the inhibitory influence of anti-HLA-class I antibody, and, upon adding them back, suppression reappeared. Indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated that the expression of receptors for interleukin 2 and transferrin was impaired in the presence of antibody. Although the amount of interleukin 2 synthesized by these cells was also reduced, the addition of exogenous purified interleukin 2 did not restore cell proliferation. Mitogenesis induced by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was similarly suppressed, but mitogenesis induced by the phorbol diester phorbol myristate acetate, which activates cells by directly stimulating protein kinase C, was not suppressed. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that HLA class I antigens regulate an early event(s) of the Ca2+-dependent pathway of activation of T lymphocytes and that this event(s) apparently occurs before protein kinase C stimulation.