Recent studies from our laboratory have shown that intravenous administration of human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) mononuclear cells to mice improved blood glucose levels, survival, atherosclerosis and prostate cancer. In this study, we examined the effect of HUCB cells on the production of IL-10 levels in IL-10 knockout mice. It has been proposed that administration of IL-10 may be beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory bowl disease. The results show that mice treated with HUCB cells (100 x 10(6)) produce IL-10, as demonstrated by both qualitative and quantitative analyses, and that the levels of this cytokine persisted until the mice were sacrificed (5.5 months after administration). Immunohistochemical staining of the intestine using HuNu antibody cocktail demonstrated the presence of HUCB cells in the knockout mouse. Although the mice did not receive any immunosuppression, there was no evidence of graft-versus-host disease. Our data suggest that HUCB cells are capable of producing IL-10, and the use of these cells or HUCB may be indicated in the treatment of certain human diseases.