Estrogens have been associated with risk for epithelial ovarian cancer (OVCA). Both IL-6 and IL-8 are also likely involved in the progression of OVCA. In order to discover the underline molecular mechanism, we investigated the modulation of estrogen and two cytokines in the growth and progression of epithelial OVCA. In these studies, the effect of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on the expression levels of IL-6, IL-8 and their receptors was investigated. The effect of IL-6 and IL-8 on activation of estrogen-responsive promoter as well as estrogen receptor (ER)alpha and ER beta expression was also analyzed. Gene expression profile analysis revealed that CAOV-3 and OVCAR-3 cells, which express ER, IL-6 and IL-8 receptors, are suitable model for this study. We found that E(2) not only enhanced IL-6 and IL-8 production via NF-kappaB signaling pathway, but also modulated their respective receptor expression. Tamoxifen (Txf), an ER antagonist, completely abolished E(2)-stimulated cell growth and the expression of IL-6 and IL-8. IL-6/IL-8-induced cell proliferation was completely blocked by their specific neutralizing antibodies, which partially inhibited E(2)-induced cell growth. In the absence of estrogen, both cytokines activated estrogen-responsive promoter, which was completely blocked by Txf, and caused a dose-dependent ER alpha increase and ER beta decrease. Pretreatment of OVCAR-3 with p38 MAPK, MEK1/2 or ErbB2 MAPK inhibitors, respectively, blocked IL-6-mediated induction of estrogen-responsive promoter while Src inhibitor blocked IL-8-induced activation of estrogen-responsive promoter. These results provide a novel mechanism that estrogens, IL-6 and IL-8 may form a common amplifying signaling cascade to modulate OVCA growth and progression. Estrogen-induced OVCA proliferation is partially occurring via enhanced IL-6 and IL-8 production and modulated their receptors, and IL-6/IL-8 could also promote OVCA growth through an ER alpha pathway.