Endothelins (ETs) are potent bronchoconstrictor agents postulated to contribute to the pathophysiology of asthma and other respiratory disorders. An increase in both the expression and release of immunoreactive (ir) ETs was reported in bronchial epithelial cells and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatic patients. We investigated whether dexamethasone (DEX), a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-asthmatic drug, regulates the basal and stimulated release of ETs from guinea-pig cultured tracheal epithelial cells. These airway epithelial cells spontaneously release ET-1 over 24 h. When incubated in the presence of 10(-7) and 10(-6) M DEX for 24 h, basal production of ET-1 decreased by 32 and 29%. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1, 5, 10 micrograms/mL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha; 5, 10 ng/mL), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta; 1, 5 ng/mL) significantly increased the basal release of ET-1 after 24 h. When these cells were pretreated with DEX (10(-7) M) for a 24-h period, then incubated in the presence of LPS (10 micrograms/mL), TNF alpha (10 ng/mL), or IL-1 beta (1 ng/mL) for another 24 h, the stimulated release of ET-1 was inhibited by 48, 31, and 38%, respectively. At 10(-6) M, DEX decreased the stimulated release by 45, 37, and 46%, respectively. The present results show that DEX can regulate the basal release and inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine-stimulated production of ET-1 from guinea-pig cultured tracheal epithelial cells. They suggest that the beneficial effect of glucocorticoids in asthma may be related to the inhibition of ET synthesis.