Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) macrophages generated lipoxin (LX) A4, LXA5, leukotriene (LT) B4, LTB5 and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) during the phagocytosis of zymosan and Escherichia coli, but not of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Prostaglandin (PG) E2 was also detected in supernatants from macrophages incubated with either zymosan or calcium ionophore A23187. LXA4 (10(-8)-10(-6) M) and LTB4 (10(-9)-10(-7) M) provoked rapid and transient dose-dependent increases in intracellular calcium ([Ca]i) concentrations in leukocyte suspensions containing 40-60% macrophages. EC50 values were 14.9 and 1.2 nM, respectively. PGE2 and 12-HETE had no effect on [Ca]i at concentrations up to 30 microM. PGE2 and 12-HETE (10(-5)-10(-10) M) enhanced the in vitro phagocytosis of yeast test particles by trout macrophages, whereas LXA4 and LTB4 had no demonstrable effect on the responses of these cells at concentrations up to 10(-5) M. In conclusion, the processes involved in trout macrophage stimulation are complex but involve generation of both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products. The increase in [Ca]i caused by LXA4 and LTB4 may form part of the chemotactic transduction mechanism that recruits granulocytes and macrophages to sites of inflammation. The effects of eicosanoids on phagocytosis appear to be independent of changes in [Ca]i.