The present study was undertaken to determine whether interleukin (IL)-1 beta affects the response of cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate production to arginine vasopressin (AVP) in cultured rat renal papillary collecting tubule cells. Arginine vasopressin increased cellular cAMP production in a dose-dependent manner. A 10-min exposure of cells to IL-1 beta at a concentration of 1 x 10(-12) mol/l or higher significantly reduced the AVP-induced increases in cellular cAMP production but did not affect the 2 x 10(-8) mol/l forskolin-induced increases in cellular cAMP production. The IL-1 beta inhibition disappeared totally when cells were pretreated with 100 micrograms/l pertussis toxin for 2 h. In contrast, more than a 30-min exposure of cells to IL-1 beta increased basal cAMP levels and enhanced both the AVP-and forskolin-induced increases in cellular cAMP production. These results indicate that IL-1 beta produces biphasic regulation of AVP-induced cellular cAMP production in renal papillary collecting tubule cells. The inhibition by IL-1 beta is dependent on the activation of pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. However, the mechanism whereby the longer exposure to IL-1 beta enhances cAMP production remains to be determined.