Cytokine mRNA expression was analyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT)/PCR in extensively purified normal peripheral CD4+CD45R T cell subsets. Both CD45RA+ and CD45 RO+ populations produced mRNAs for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-2 receptor (alpha chain), IL-6 receptor and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-beta within 3-4 h of activation. Whilst IL-3 and RANTES were also expressed in both subsets, CD45RO+ cells were clearly the major producers of these cytokines. In contrast, mRNA transcripts for IL-1 alpha, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and the T cell receptor for IL-1 were almost exclusively induced in CD45RO+ T cells. A population of CD4+ T cells co-expressing intermediate levels of both CD45RA and CD45RO, namely CD45RA+/CD45RO+, appeared to be the major producers of IL-6. Addition of cycloheximide (CHx) 4 h after T cell activation resulted in substantial superinduction of IL-2 mRNA in the CD4+CD45RO+ population but had little effect on CD4+CD45RA+ cells. Taken together, these results show that normal CD4+CD45R T cell subsets exhibit distinct cytokine mRNA profiles and that these differ from the patterns displayed by Th1 and Th2 type T helper clones. Furthermore, they suggest for the first time that IL-2 mRNA turnover is differentially regulated in CD45R T cell subsets.