NRAMP-1 (natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1) has been associated with innate resistance to unrelated intracellular pathogen infections, up-regulation of proinflammatory phagocyte functions, and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. It is still unclear how the divalent cation transport function of NRAMP-1 accounts for the associated pleiotropic effects. In this study, we evaluated the impact of murine macrophage NRAMP-1 expression on the activity of protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) as an upstream event contributing to the NRAMP-1 regulation of signal transduction and control of effector macrophage functions. Functional expression of NRAMP-1 results in lower macrophage PTP activity and increased protein phosphorylation. Decreased PTP activity is not a result of changes in protein expression but rather a reversible regulatory mechanism involving the interaction with NRAMP-1 metal substrates. In the context of intracellular infections, NRAMP-1 expression prevents full macrophage PTP induction by Leishmania infection, correlating with higher nitric oxide production and lower parasite survival. We suggest that NRAMP-1 divalent cation transport leads to transient inhibition of PTPs via direct PTP-metal interaction and/or by reactive oxygen speciesdependent PTP oxidation, consequently promoting positive signal transduction, as a backbone for the induction of proinflammatory phagocyte functions.NRAMP-1 (natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1), previously known as Bcg/Ity/Lsh, and recently renamed Slc11a1) has been associated with host resistance to unrelated intracellular pathogens (1, 2), including Leishmania (3, 4), Mycobacterium (5), and Salmonella (6). It has also been associated with the up-regulation of proinflammatory macrophage (M) 3 functions, such as major histocompatibility complex II expression (7,8), KC chemokine (9, 10), interleukin-1 (9), tumor necrosis factor-␣ (11, 12), nitric oxide (NO) production (13,14), and increased respiratory burst (15, 16). NRAMP-1 is a pH-dependent divalent cation transporter (17) localized to the late endosome/lysosomal compartment of Ms from the reticuloendothelial system (18) and present in gelatinase-positive tertiary granules of neutrophils (19). Upon phagocytosis, NRAMP-1 is rapidly recruited to the phagolysosomal membrane, where it mediates the transport of Mn 2ϩ , Fe 2ϩ , Co 2ϩ , and potentially other metals, including Zn 2ϩ (20 -23). The direction of metal flux is still controversial (17,24,25); however, transport studies, sequence and structural similarities with NRAMP-2, topology and thermodynamic considerations suggest that metal transport occurs from the vesicular lumen to the cytoplasm (17). NRAMP-1 expression has been shown to promote phagosome maturation (26 -28). In addition, efflux of essential metals from the phagosome may restrain the pathogen's development by interfering with essential microbial enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase and/or by promoting the up-regulation of host proinflammatory molecules. Although more than...