Background & Aims: Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) participates in acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contraction of esophageal circular smooth muscle. Because PLA2, arachidonic acid, and its metabolites are involved in inflammatory responses, their role after induction of experimental esophagitis was examined.
Methods: Experiments were performed in esophageal smooth muscle cells (ESO) isolated by enzymatic digestion from the circular layer of normal and esophagitis animals.