BACKGROUND A previous study showed that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone, at doses of 100 ¿g/kg and above, inhibited leucocyte adhesion to rat mesenteric postcapillary venules activated with interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), as assessed by videomicroscopy. AIMS To identify whether the adhesion molecule, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), or the chemokine KC could be targeted by the steroid to mediate its antiadhesive effect. METHODS Rat mesenteries were treated with IL-1ß (20 ng intraperitoneally) and the extent of leucocyte adhesion measured at two and four hours using intravital microscopy. Rats were treated with dexamethasone, and passively immunised against ICAM-1 or KC. Endogenous expression of these two mediators was validated by immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and the injection of specific radiolabelled antibodies. RESULTS Dexamethasone greatly reduced IL-1ß induced leucocyte adhesion, endothelial expression of ICAM-1 in the postcapillary venule, and release of the mast cell derived chemokine KC. Injection of specific antibodies to the latter mediators was also extremely effective in downregulating (>80%) IL-1ß induced leucocyte adhesion. CONCLUSIONS Induction by IL-1ß of endogenous ICAM-1 and KC contributes to leucocyte adhesion to inflamed mesenteric vessels. Without excluding other possible mediators, these data clearly show that dexamethasone interferes with ICAM-1 expression and KC release from mast cells, resulting in suppression of leucocyte accumulation in the bowel wall, which is a prominent feature of several gastrointestinal pathologies.