Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan parasite that causes acute tissue inflammation in vaginal trichomoniasis. In this study, we investigated the signaling mechanisms through which T. vaginalis-derived secretory products (TvSP) induce chemokine IL-8 production in human mast cells. TvSP-induced up-regulation of IL-8 protein secretion in HMC-1 cells. In addition, TvSP-induced phosphorylation of transcription factors NF-κB and CREB in HMC-1 cells. Pretreatment of TvSP with lipase, but not heat or proteinase K strongly abolished the stimulatory effect on IL-8 production. Moreover, TvSP-induced IL-8 production and phosphorylation of NF-κB or CREB were inhibited when HMC-1 cells were stimulated with modified TvSP collected from 5-lipooxygenase inhibitor-treated trichomonads. Indeed, T. vaginalis-secreted lipid mediator LTB(4) 700pg/ml of the TvSP from 1×10(7) trichomonads. Furthermore, pretreatment of HMC-1 cells with antagonists for LTB(4) receptors BLT1 or BLT2 abolished the stimulatory effects of TvSP. Finally, TvSP-induced IL-8 production was inhibited by pretreatment with IκB or CREB inhibitors. These results suggest that T. vaginalis-derived secretory lipid mediator LTB(4) induces IL-8 production in host cells via BLT-dependent activation of NF-κB and CREB.