Fc receptor-positive lymphocytes (FcR+) contain lymphokine-activated killer cell (LAK) precursors that in response to IL-2 develop potent antitumor cytotoxicity. These FcR+ cells are also capable of antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC), which can be detected using fresh human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) directed to murine targets, however, PBL-mediated ADCC to human tumors usually is very low, requiring a stimulation of the PBL, which also can be accomplished with IL-2. Using human melanoma tumor target cells, with and without the 14G2a monoclonal antibody, we examined in parallel the role of p75 IL-2 receptor for regulation of the induction of both LAK and ADCC forms of antitumor cytotoxicity. Enrichment of FcR+ cells from fresh peripheral blood by elutriation and flow cytometry, followed by varying periods of IL-2 culture, revealed a differential kinetics of activation. ADCC was detectable after PBL exposure to IL-2 for as short as the 4 h cytotoxicity assay, while LAK activation required more than 24 h of exposure. Elimination of the FcR+ cells by magnetic bead depletion from large granular lymphocyte populations (LGL) resulted in a loss of both LAK and ADCC. Addition of antibody known to block the binding of IL-2 to the p75 molecule of the IL-2 receptor complex (Mik-beta 1) to activation cultures at zero time resulted in abrogation of both cytotoxicities. These results suggest that differentiation and maturation of the ADCC effectors occurs in response to IL-2 via the p75 molecule, as also does LAK activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)