OBJECTIVE To study the regulative effects of rhIL-1 beta or rhTNF-alpha on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on human mesangial cells (HMC). METHODS At the 4th, 8th, 16th and 32nd hours after stimulation by rhIL-1 beta (25 ng/ml) or rhTNF alpha (100 ng/ml), the mRNA expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on HMC was determined with Northern blot, and their protein expression was also tested with cell ELISA analysis. RESULTS mRNA and protein of both ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were only basically expressed on HMC at very low levels in the control groups without stimulation. After stimulation by rhIL-1 beta or rhTNF alpha, however, their expression was markedly upregulated. The maximal mRNA expression level of ICAM-1 stimulated by rhTNF alpha was present at the 8th hour, but in the remaining groups the maximal mRNA expression levels of ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 were all present at the 4th hour. Compared with control groups, ICAM-1 protein expression was significantly increased from the 4th hour after rhIL-1 beta stimulation (P < 0.05), but in the remaining groups ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 protein expression was significantly raised from the 8th hour after stimulation (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that upregulated expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 by inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF alpha may play a pathogenic role in glomerulonephritis.