Microbiostatic mechanisms may contribute substantially to host defense against infection by certain microbes. We studied the candidastatic activity of human neutrophils, neutrophil cytosol, and neutrophil-derived "calprotectin," a cytosolic protein complex comprised of two subunits, MRP8 and MRP14. Intact neutrophils, neutrophil lysates (prepared by ultrasonic disruption, freezing and thawing, or nonionic detergent extraction), and granule-depleted neutrophil cytosol were effective in restricting the growth of Candida albicans in a nutrient-rich tissue culture medium, RPMI 1640. Neither a subcellular fraction enriched in neutrophil granules nor selected purified granule components (lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, cathepsin G, leukocyte elastase, lysozyme, and defensins) exerted candidastatic activity in this medium. Gel filtration liquid chromatography, anion exchange FPLC, and SDS-PAGE showed that the fungistatic factor in neutrophil cytosol was associated with the calprotectin complex. Its antifungal effects included restriction of yeast phase and mycelial growth and inhibition of glucose incorporation by yeast phase cultures. The antifungal effects of calprotectin were sustained for over 120 h and were inhibited by zinc. However, studies with 65Zn-enriched RPMI suggested that the candidastatic effects of calprotectin were not mediated by sequestration or binding of zinc. After reversed phase HPLC, calprotectin fractions containing MRP14 exhibited fungistatic activity, whereas fractions depleted of MRP14 but enriched for MRP8 lacked fungistatic activity. The results support a potentially significant role for the calprotectin complex of neutrophil cytosol in antifungal defense and suggest that MRP14 is of key importance in that activity.