Fluticasone inhibits TNF-α-induced CXCL10, CXCL8, and CCL5 mRNA expression by fetal human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells. Quiescent fetal ASM cells expressed little CXCL10 (Δ), CXCL8 (X), and CCL5 (□) mRNA under basal conditions (panel a). Stimulation with TNF-α-induced dose-dependent increases in mRNA expression of all three cytokines. Fluticasone (FP, 1 and 100 nmol/l) significantly reduced TNF-α-induced cytokine mRNA expression (panels b–d). Note fetal ASM cells were treated with vehicle or TNF-α (1–20 ng/ml) following pretreatment (1 h) with vehicle or fluticasone. Cytokine mRNA expression was determined 6 h following TNF-α stimulation by RT-PCR as described in the Methods section and expressed as cytokine/β-actin mRNA ratio {plus minus} S.E.M. of three separate experiments, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.