MCAF (monocyte chemotactic and activating factor)/MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) is an important mediator of monocyte recruitment to inflammatory sites. However, its pathophysiologic role in myocardial reperfusion injury remains unknown. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized, and the left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated for an hour, after which the ligature was released. Northern blotting analysis revealed that MCAF/MCP-1 mRNA expression increased 16-fold in the reperfused region at 12 hours after reperfusion. MCAF/MCP-1 concentration in plasma and the heart was already elevated after hour of ischemia in this model. Goat polyclonal antibodies were prepared by repeated immunization of animals with purified, recombinant rat MCAF/MCP-1, and the neutralizing activities of this antibody were confirmed by monocyte chemotaxis assay and administration to rats with crescentic glomerulonephritis. Intravenous injection of anti-MCAF/MCP-1 antibody significantly reduced the infarct size at 24 hours after reperfusion compared with the injection of control IgG (33.9± 5.1% vs 49.4 ± 2.7% of ischemic area, mean±SEM). Administration of this antibody markedly decreased the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 mRNA expression and infiltration of macrophages, which suggested the pathophysiologic role of MCAF/MCP-1. Neutralization of MCAF/MCP-1 is beneficial by preventing reperfusion injury in a rat model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.