P-selectin (CD62P), a cell adhesion molecule for most leukocytes, is stored in the a-granules of platelets and the Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells. Upon thrombogenic and inflammatory challenges, P-selectin is rapidly expressed, by exocytosis, on activated platelets and stimulated endothelial cells. However, little is known for the molecular mechanisms governing the regulation of the rapid mobilization of P-selectin in these cells. Here we show that phenylarsine oxide (PAO) and diamide (both were inhibitors for protein tyrosine phosphatases), but not genistein (an inhibitor for protein tyrosine kinases), adenosine, wortmannin and LY294002 (all were inhibitors for phosphatidylinositol 3- and 4-kinases), could inhibit P-selectin exocytosis on activated platelets and could abolish the P-selectin mediated aggregation of activated platelets to neutrophils. However, PAO did not attenuate the P-selectin mediated adhesion of human promyeloid HL-60 cells on the stimulated endothelial cells under flow conditions. Further, PAO had no detectable effects on the exocytosis of P-selectin in the stimulated endothelial cells. These results indicate that protein tyrosine phosphatases are necessary for P-selectin exocytosis on the activated platelets, but not on the stimulated endothelial cells, and suggest that inhibitors for protein tyrosine phosphatases may be potentially valuable for treatment of platelet/leukocyte aggregation.