Angiotensin II (AII) in adrenal glomerulosa cells activates phospholipase C resulting in the formation of inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol rich in arachidonic acid (AA). Although glomerulosa cells can metabolize AA via cyclooxygenase (CO), this pathway plays little role in aldosterone synthesis. Recent evidence suggests that the lipoxygenase (LO) pathway may be important for hormonal secretion in endocrine tissues such as the islet of Langerhans. However, the capacity of the glomerulosa cell to synthesize LO products and their role in aldosterone secretion is not known. To study this, the effect of nonselective and selective LO inhibitors on AII, ACTH, and potassium-induced aldosterone secretion and LO product formation was evaluated in isolated rat glomerulosa cells. BW755c, a nonselective LO inhibitor dose dependently reduced the AII-stimulated level of aldosterone without altering AII binding (91 +/- 6 to 36 +/- 4 ng/10(6) cells/h 10(-4) M, P less than 0.001). The same effect was observed with another nonselective LO blocker, phenidone, and a more selective 12-LO inhibitor, Baicalein. In contrast U-60257, a selective 5-LO inhibitor did not change the AII-stimulated levels of aldosterone (208 +/- 11% control, AII 10(-9) M vs. 222 +/- 38%, AII + U-60257). The LO blockers action was specific for AII since neither BW755c nor phenidone altered ACTH or K+-induced aldosterone secretion. AII stimulated the formation of the 12-LO product 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) as measured by ultraviolet detection and HPLC in AA loaded cells and by a specific RIA in unlabeled cells (501 +/- 50 to 990 +/- 10 pg/10(5) cells, P less than 0.02). BW755c prevented the AII-mediated rise in 12-HETE formation. In contrast, neither ACTH nor K+ increased 12-HETE levels. The addition of 12-HETE or its unstable precursor 12-HPETE (10(-9) or 10(-8) M) completely restored AII action during LO blockade. AII also produced an increase in 15-HETE formation, but the 15-LO products had no effect on aldosterone secretion. These studies suggest that the 12-LO pathway plays a key role as a new specific mediator of AII-induced aldosterone secretion.