We examined the effect of glomerular immune complex (IC) deposition on glomerular eicosanoid synthesis and the role of the eicosanoids in glomerular pathophysiology. Rats received daily 10 mg i.v. injections of native bovine gamma-globulin (NBGG) or cationic bovine gamma-globulin (CBGG) for 21 days; age-matched controls were maintained. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy showed mesangial deposits of IC in the NBGG group and capillary wall deposits in the CBGG group, without light or electron microscopic evidence of leukocyte infiltration. One week after the last antigen dose, GFR was similar in all three groups, but RPF increased in the rats given CBGG; (8.37 +/- 0.90 vs. control 5.54 +/- 0.56 ml/min, P less than 0.05). Glomerular synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) was normal in animals that received NBGG. Rats given CBGG had increased glomerular production of PGE2, (2.23 +/- 0.37 vs. control 1.03 +/- 0.16 ng/mg glomerular dry wt, P less than 0.05) and TxB2 (3.12 +/- 0.50 vs. control 0.48 +/- 0.07 ng/mg glomerular dry wt, P less than 0.001). Proteinuria only developed in the rats given CBGG, 86.6 +/- 18 mg/24 hr, which correlated with glomerular TxA2 synthesis, r = 0.82, P = 0.01. Acute administration of the TxA2 synthesis inhibitor, UK-38,485, and a TxA2 receptor antagonist, EP-092, to rats given CBGG did not affect GFR or RPF. The cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, reduced both GFR and RPF by up to 40% in CBGG-immunized rats. Oral administration of UK-38,485 for six days to nephrotic rats did not result in a statistically significant reduction of proteinuria despite 85% inhibition of glomerular TxB2. We conclude that cationic antigen induces a glomerular disease pathologically similar to membranous nephropathy. The increment of RPF is most probably due to increased glomerular PGE2. The increased TxA2 has no effect on glomerular hemodynamics and probably is not a component in the pathogenesis of proteinuria.