Compound 48/80 ( compd 48/80)-induced histamine secretion from rat mast cells was inhibited almost completely by pretreatment of the cells at 37 degrees with 25 microM arachidonic acid in the presence of 1.8 mM Ca2+. As the Ca2+ concentration was reduced below 1.8 mM, 25 microM arachidonic acid became less inhibitory and, then, progressively more stimulatory for histamine release with or without compd 48/80. No additive effect on histamine release was obtained by combining compd 48/80 and arachidonic acid. Pretreatment of mast cells with lidocaine, an inhibitor of Ca2+ binding to phospholipid, or with nordihydroguaiaretic acid, an inhibitor of Ca2+ flux and lipoxygenase, stimulated arachidonic acid-induced histamine release. Arachidonic acid also inhibited a compd 48/80-induced spike increment of intracellular 45Ca2+ uptake and a decrease of total 45Ca2+ uptake by 45Ca2+-preloaded mast cells. Arachidonic acid and Ca2+ also suppressed melittin-induced histamine release and compd 48/80-induced release of radioactivity from mast cells preloaded with [3H]arachidonic acid. These results suggest that exogenous arachidonic acid or its metabolite(s) may interact with membrane-associated Ca2+, disturbing Ca2+ availability for the trigger mechanism of compd 48/80-induced histamine release or inhibiting the subsequent metabolism of arachidonic acid via the lipoxygenase pathway to form active metabolites involved in the histamine liberating mechanism.