Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) is important in neutrophil‐dependent injury. We investigated the effects of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) produced by Kupffer cells on ICAM‐1 expression after ischemia‐reperfusion in rat liver by occluding the portal vein for 30 minutes. Serum concentrations of MCP‐1 increased persistently. By Northern analysis, MCP‐1 mRNA increased early and persisted. Kupffer cells harvested 6 hours after reperfusion also expressed this transcript. The transcript and protein also were produced by Kupffer cells from naive controls in response to reactive oxygen species. ICAM‐1 mRNA transcripts increased, peaked 3 hours after reperfusion, and decreased gradually thereafter. The level of ICAM‐1 mRNA transcripts in the WK‐5 rat endothelial cell line were markedly enhanced by MCP‐1. These results suggest that MCP‐1 released by Kupffer cells early after ischemia‐reperfusion modulates neutrophil‐dependent tissue injury via ICAM‐1.