The ability of two fluoro-analogues of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) to mobilize intracellular Ca2+ stores in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells has been investigated. DL-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-scyllo-Ins(1,4,5)P3 (2F-Ins(1,4,5)P3) and DL-2, 2-difluoro-2-deoxy-myo-Ins(1,4,5)P3 (2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3) were full agonists (EC50s 0.77 and 0.41-mu-M respectively) and slightly less potent than D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 (EC50 0.13-mu-M), indicating that the axial 2-hydroxyl group of Ins(1,4,5)P3 is relatively unimportant in receptor binding and stimulation of Ca2+ release. Both analogues mobilized Ca2+ with broadly similar kinetics and were substrates for Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase but, qualitatively, were slightly poorer than Ins(1,4,5)P3. 2F-Ins(1,4,5)P3 was a weak substrate for Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase but 2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3 was apparently not hydrolysed by this enzyme, although it inhibited its activity potently (K(i) = 26-mu-M).