Previous studies have indicated that there are 3 common haplotypes composed of the -1470, -511, and -31 loci in the interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) promoter in the Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between these haplotypes and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated IL-1beta expression by whole blood leukocytes in vitro and to evaluate the effects of these haplotypes on IL-1beta gene transcription. Genomic DNAs were obtained from 105 healthy subjects. The genotypes at the 3 sites of the IL-1beta promoter were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Haplotype frequency was evaluated by using the Arlequin software. Plasma IL-1beta level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The transcriptional activity of the haplotypes was determined by in vitro reporter gene. The results indicated that after the exposure to LPS, whole blood leukocytes from subjects with the homozygous haplotype -1470G, -511C, and -31T (G-C-T) produced more IL-1beta in vitro than those from subjects with haplotype -1470C, -511T, and -31C (C-T-C) and that the transcriptional activity of the haplotype G-C-T was also higher than that of the haplotype C-T-C. It is suggested that the haplotypes of the IL-1beta promoter influence the expression and transcriptional activity of the IL-1beta gene and that the upregulation of IL-1beta gene expression after LPS exposure in subjects with haplotype G-C-T may be due to an increased transcriptional activity of the haplotype.