Psoriasis is a common hyperproliferative and inflammatory skin disease with a prevalence of 0.5-3%. Lesional skin is characterized by pathological overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 and its receptor and the decreased presence of negative regulatory control factors like the anti-oncogene p53. The expression of these genes can be modulated in the opposite direction by antipsoriatic drugs. Another possible candidate gene is the receptor for the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (IL-10R). Recently, vitamin D3 and its analogues have attracted interest as new therapeutic agents in the treatment of psoriasis. In extension of these findings we studied here the effect of the physiologically active metabolite, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) and its synthetic analogue calcipotriol (MC 903) on the expression of the IL-10R in HaCaT cells by RT-PCR. IL-10 receptor gene expression was effectively induced in the range of 10(-8)-10(-9) M. Upregulation by calcitriol was about 10-fold, by calcipotriol 12-fold. Induction of the receptor for the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 may be involved in the antipsoriatic action of vitamin D derivatives.