Cytokines are signalling glycoproteins mediating acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, and connective tissue destruction. The present study was designed to characterize the profile of cytokine message in normal human articular cartilage and from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), by means of the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Message RNA (mRNA) was extracted from fresh or frozen cartilage. The results showed expression of mRNA for IL-6, IL-6R, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12 (p35 and p40) exclusively in the RA cartilage. Except for mRNA for IL-8 and IL-10, no other cytokine or cytokine receptor was expressed in OA and control cartilage. mRNA for IL-1beta, IL-4, TNF-alpha, and TNFR-p75, was not detected in any cartilage sample except for one RA specimen expressing IL-1beta mRNA. However, the expression of message for pro-inflammatory cytokines was far more prominent than anti-inflammatory cytokines. This may suggest a disturbed balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory activity in RA cartilage.