We previously reported that a diglyceride lipase inhibitor, RG80267, inhibits chloride secretion stimulated by adenosine agonists, stimuli whose effects appear unrelated to cAMP, cGMP or cytosolic calcium. Here, the effect of RG80267 on Cl- secretory responses to agents which do utilize these messengers was examined. RG80267 inhibited responses to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, forskolin (cAMP-dependent) and E. coli heat stable enterotoxin (cGMP-dependent), but not to prostaglandin E1 or cholera toxin (cAMP-dependent). RG80267 enhanced responses to histamine (calcium-dependent). The inhibitory effect of RG80267 was not due to inhibition of cAMP accumulation. Arachidonic acid release may participate in chloride secretion. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, but not prostaglandin E1, released radiolabel from cells preloaded with [3H]arachidonic acid. There may thus be differences between mechanisms of various cyclic nucleotide-dependent chloride secretory responses. Arachidonic acid release may modulate the extent of secretion elicited by some secretagogues.