We investigated the presence of interleukin 1 (IL 1)-like molecules in normal unstimulated human epidermal tissue. Epidermis from 21 healthy individuals that was prepared by two different methods showed prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and collagenase stimulating activity for human dermal fibroblasts. All epidermal extracts tested were positive for thymocyte comitogenic activity (lymphocyte activating factor; LAF). Removal of the horny layer decreased epidermal IL 1-like activity. In contrast to epidermal tissue, freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) contained no detectable PGE2 stimulatory activity. They could, however, produce PGE2 stimulatory activity after culture and stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A). Little membranous IL 1-like activity could be detected in epidermal extracts when using a method that has previously rendered membranous IL 1 from murine proteose peptone-elicited peritoneal macrophages. Gel filtration chromatography yielded double peaks at m.w. approximately 30,000 and approximately 17,000 for all three activities. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified two species with a m.w. of approximately 17,000, and one approximately 30,000 species nondissociable in detergent, all having superposable PGE2 and collagenase stimulatory as well as LAF activity. These results establish the existence of IL 1-like molecules, together with a possible precursor, in normal human epidermis. The release of these preformed epidermal IL 1 stores might be important in vivo.