Our study was designed to investigate the potential interaction between steroid hormones and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the regulation of apolipoprotein D (apo-D) and gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15) expression in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells. We first observed that exposure to IL-6 for 6-14 days decreased basal apo-D and GCDFP-15 secretion by 50% and 23%, respectively. In the same experiment, such treatment with IL-6 decreased cell proliferation by approximately 40% after 6 and 14 days of incubation. Exposure to IL-6 markedly decreased dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced apo-D and GCDFP-15 release, with a half-maximal effect measured at 13 U/ml. A similar inhibitory action of IL-6 was observed on the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX)-induced apo-D and GC-DFP-15 secretion. The sensitivity of the apo-D and GCDFP-15 response to the stimulatory action of DHT or DEX was, however, not changed by concomitant exposure to IL-6. The inhibitory effect of IL-6 on the secretion of these two biochemical markers was additive to that of 17 beta-estradiol. In addition, IL-6 blocked the stimulatory effect of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) on apo-D and GCDFP-15 secretion. Our results show that IL-6 is a potent inhibitory of basal as well as androgen-, glucocorticoid- and IL-1 alpha-induced apo-D and GCDFP-15 secretion in ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells, while cell proliferation is inhibited by this cytokine.