Although the expression of the prototypic secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)), group IIA (sPLA(2)-IIA), is known to be up-regulated during inflammation, it remains uncertain if other sPLA(2) enzymes display similar or distinct profiles of induction under pathological conditions. In this study, we investigated the expression of several sPLA(2)s in rodent inflammation models. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, the expression of sPLA(2)-V, and to a lesser extent that of sPLA(2)-IID, -IIE, and -IIF, were increased, whereas that of sPLA(2)-X was rather constant, in distinct tissues. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mouse ear edema, in which the expression of sPLA(2)-IID, -IIF and -V was increased, was significantly reduced by YM-26734, a competitive sPLA(2)-IIA inhibitor that turned out to inhibit sPLA(2)-IID, -IIE, -V and -X as well. In contrast, sPLA(2)-IIA was dominant in carageenin-induced pleurisy in rats, where the accumulation of exudate fluids and leukocytes was significantly ameliorated by YM-26734. These results indicate that distinct sPLA(2)s can participate in inflammatory diseases according to tissues, animal species, and types of inflammation.