The present study was carried out to further characterize the role of non-inflammatory cells in the inflammatory process. More specifically, we have investigated whether human epithelial cells can generate inflammatory lipid mediators via activation of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. The cells were stimulated with the calcium ionophore A23187 (5 microM) for different periods of time, after which the production of eicosanoids was determined by gradient reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and rapid spectral detection, permitting continuous ultraviolet spectroscopy. In both non-prelabeled cells and cells prelabeled with [1-14C]arachidonic acid, cell stimulation for 30 min or more resulted in the production of two important 5-lipoxygenase products: 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Stimulation for 15 min or less, however, led solely to the formation of 5-HETE. The identities of 5-HETE and LTB4 were confirmed by HPLC retention times and UV spectra, as well as by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for 5-HETE and radioimmunoassay for LTB4. It can therefore be concluded that human epithelial cells in general can produce important inflammatory mediators, which suggests that epithelial cells may play a more active role in the inflammatory process than is normally assumed.