Prostanoids, produced by diverse cell types, modulate a variety of pathophysiological processes. The rate of prostanoid synthesis is determined, in part, by the levels of prostanoid-synthetic enzymes, such as cyclooxygenase (Cox), a rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostanoids. While two Cox genes have been identified, Cox-2 is unique because it is highly induced in response to cell activation processes including inflammation. We have studied the effect of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine that facilitates its actions in part by inducing the synthesis of prostanoids, on the expression of Cox-2 in a human cell line (ECV304) and demonstrated that IL-1 alpha induces a sustained increase in the expression of the Cox-2 mRNA as well as the functional enzyme. Three mechanistically distinct inhibitors of translation stimulated the expression of the Cox-2 mRNA and potentiated the effect of IL-1 alpha. Furthermore, IL-1 alpha induced rapid but transient activation of Cox-2 transcription and, in the absence of transcription, prolonged the half-life of the Cox-2 mRNA. Together, these data suggest that post-transcriptional mechanisms are important in the sustained induction of the Cox-2 mRNA and that IL-1 alpha may increase the stability of the Cox-2 transcript.