Transient receptor potential channel, vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1) receptors were identified in human esophageal squamous epithelial cell line HET-1A by RTPCR and by Western blot. In fura-2 AM-loaded cells, the TRPV1 agonist capsaicin caused a fourfold cytosolic calcium increase, supporting a role of TRPV1 as a capsaicin-activated cation channel. Capsaicin increased production of platelet activating factor (PAF), an important inflammatory mediator that acts as a chemoattractant and activator of immune cells. The increase was reduced by the p38 MAP kinase (p38) inhibitor SB203580, by the cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) inhibitor AACOCF3, and by the lyso-PAF acetyltransferase inhibitor sanguinarin, indicating that capsaicin-induced PAF production may be mediated by activation of cPLA 2, p38, and lyso-PAF acetyltransferase. To establish a sequential signaling pathway, we examined the phosphorylation of p38 and cPLA2 by Western blot. Capsaicin induced phosphorylation of p38 and cPLA2. Capsaicininduced p38 phosphorylation was not affected by AACOCF3. Conversely, capsaicin-induced cPLA2 phosphorylation was blocked by SB203580, indicating that capsaicin-induced PAF production depends on sequential activation of p38 and cPLA2. To investigate how p38 phosphorylation may result from TRPV1-mediated calcium influx, we examined a possible role of calmodulin kinase (CaM-K). p38 phosphorylation was stimulated by the calcium ionophore A23187 and by capsaicin, and the response to both agonists was reduced by a CaM inhibitor and by CaM-KII inhibitors, indicating that calcium induced activation of CaM and CaM-KII results in P38 phosphorylation. Acetyl-CoA transferase activity increased in response to capsaicin and was inhibited by SB203580, indicating that p38 phosphorylation in turn causes activation of acetyl-CoA transferase to produce PAF. Thus epithelial cells produce PAF in response to TRPV1-mediated calcium elevation. Copyright © 2010 the American Physiological Society.