The effect of dexamethasone on human MHC class II expression was examined on various cell types including lymphocytes, monocytes, and epithelial cells. Dexamethasone decreased the surface expression of HLA-DR and -DP, but not HLA-DQ, on lymphocytic cell lines that constitutively express these molecules. In addition, dexamethasome down-regulated the mRNA levels of HLA-DRA, but not of HLA-DQB, in Jijoye cells, a human lymphoblastic cell line. Similarly, dexamethasone decreased HLA-DR expression on epithelial and monocytic cell lines that express HLA-DR upon IFN-gamma treatment. In total, these results suggest that dexamethasone inhibits both constitutive and IFN-gamma-inducible MHC class II expression in several cell types. Moreover, these results indicate that the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on MHC class II expression is selective for HLA-DR and -DP but not HLA-DQ. Possible mechanisms of dexamethasone-mediated regulation of MHC class II expression are discussed.