The proliferation of human melanoma cell line A375-6 is inhibited by interleukin l (IL-l). However, the cells acquired resistance to IL-l after a long period of culture. We have reported that 2 resistant subclones, A375-R8 and -R19, produced IL-l alpha constitutively and that IL-l induced IL-6 production in an autocrine manner. Therefore, we supposed that IL-l alpha production renders the cells resistant to IL-l. To investigate the relationship between IL-l alpha production and IL-l resistance, we transfected the IL-l alpha expression plasmid to the IL-l-sensitive clone, A375-6, and the anti-sense mRNA expression plasmid to IL-l-resistant cells, A375-R8 and -R19. A375-6MS, a transfectant of mature IL-l alpha expression plasmid, expressed IL-l alpha mRNA and produced IL-l activity at a level comparable to the resistant cells. The transfectant also produced IL-6 and exhibited augmented expression of Mn-SOD mRNA. However, IL-l sensitivity of this transfectant was not affected. With respect to sensitivity to anti-proliferative effects of other cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF alpha, there was no difference between the transfectant and parent cells. Although A375-R8PH10 and -R19PH10, transfectants of IL-l alpha anti-sense mRNA expression plasmid, exhibited a decrease in the level of IL-l production, their IL-l sensitivity did not differ from parent cells. These results, therefore, suggest that IL-l alpha production is not essential or sufficient for the acquisition of resistance to the anti-proliferative effect of IL-l.