We have recently reported that a variety of solid human tumor cells express high-affinity interleukin-4 receptors (IL-4R). In this study, we have compared structural characteristics of IL-4R expressed on human renal cell carcinoma cells (RCC-WS) and the lymphoid cell lines RAJI (B-cell line) and H9 (T-cell line). In crosslinking studies, the three cell types expressed a predominant 140 kDa IL-4R band. In addition, a 70 kDa band was expressed strongly in H9 cells but only faintly on RCC-WS and RAJI cells. These different species of IL-4R were not observed when crosslinking studies were performed in the presence of excess interleukin-4 (IL-4), indicating IL-4 specificity. A polyclonal anti-IL-4R antibody immunoprecipitated the two species (140 and 70 kDa) in H9 and predominantly the 140 kDa species in RCC-WS tumor cells and RAJI cells. A faint band for the 70 kDa protein was also observed. The affinity of IL-4 binding to its receptor in RCC-WS cells was similar to the binding affinity observed in H9 and RAJI cells examined. However, the RCC tumor cells and B lymphoid cells internalized IL-4R more rapidly compared to T lymphoid cells. Although IL-4R synthesis was similarly inhibited by cycloheximide in all three cell lines, IL-4R expression was more sensitive to actinomycin D inhibition on the RCC-WS and RAJI cells than on H9 cells. Our results suggest that IL-4R expressed on RCC-WS tumor cells are structurally different from those expressed on lymphoid cells because the proportions of IL-4R subunits differ in these cells. Further studies should be performed to determine the identity and functional significance of IL-4R proteins expressed on RCC and immune cells.