The objective of these studies was to investigate mechanisms of regulation of interleukin 1 (IL-1) production by human monocytes. IL-1 production was measured by augmentation of phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation of murine thymocytes. Adherent human monocytes incubated in medium for one day exhibited a marked decrease in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-1 production over a second day. Cells pre-incubated in 100 U/ml gamma interferon (gamma-IFN) for 24 h displayed a partial to complete maintenance of LPS-induced IL-1 production. Studies with inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase or lipoxygenase indicated that prostaglandins or leukotrienes were not responsible for the alterations in IL-1 production observed with cultured cells or for the effects of gamma-IFN. Monocytes were pre-incubated in cycloheximide for 24 h and the drug was washed out. These cells exhibited an enhancement in IL-1 production over a second 24 h culture in the presence of 2 ng/ml LPS. Furthermore, the partial maintenance of LPS-induced IL-1 production seen after cells were pre-incubated in gamma-IFN was markedly increased by the inclusion of 0.25 microgram/ml cycloheximide during the 24 h pre-incubation. These results indicate that IL-1 production may be inhibited by newly-synthesized proteins during maturation in vitro or differentiation of monocytes into macrophages. Pre-incubation in gamma-IFN and cycloheximide leads to separate but synergistic effects on the maintenance of LPS-induced IL-1 production in cultured monocytes.