The production of endothelin 1 (ET-1) and its receptor-mediated actions on calcium signaling and growth responses were analyzed in human ovarian carcinoma cells. Immuno-reactive ET-1 was released from three of four ovarian tumor cell lines as a function of time in amounts ranging from 56 to 74 fmol/10(6) cells. Reverse-phase HPLC and radioimmuno-assay of conditioned media from tumor cells revealed a single peak coeluting with authentic ET-1. Radioligand binding studies showed that the ET-1-producing cell lines also expressed high-affinity ETA receptors (Kd < 0.1 nM) that ranged in abundance from 2,600 to 43,600 sites/cell. In fura-2-loaded ovarian carcinoma cells, ET-1 induced dose-dependent increases in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. ET-1 also stimulated thymidine incorporation in the three cell lines that expressed ET receptors. In OVCA 433 cells, BQ 123 inhibited the stimulatory actions of ET-1 on thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation, and substantially reduced the basal growth rate of unstimulated ovarian tumor cells. These results demonstrate that ET-1 is produced in ovarian cancer cells and acts as an autocrine growth factor on ETA receptors to stimulate calcium signaling and proliferative responses. Such findings suggest that ET-1 participates in the progression of neoplastic growth in certain ovarian tumors.