We studied the effect of type 1 herpes simplex infection on the production of innate immunity mediators in human vascular endothelial cells in culture. It was found that production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL.6, and TNF-α in infected cultures depended on the level of their spontaneous production, while IL-8 production was suppressed irrespective of its spontaneous level. Shedding of cell adhesion molecules of early (P-selectin and E-selectin) and late (PECAM-1 and VE-cadherin) phases of leukocyte recruitment depended on individual capacity of human vascular endothelial cell cultures to maintain reproduction of type 1 herpes simples virus. The production of vasodilator NO and vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 by infected cultures also depended on spontaneous synthesis of this transmitter by non-infected cultures.