Contribution of sphingosine kinase (SPK)-catalyzed production of sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP), in comparison to phospholipase C (PLC), to Ca2+ signalling by epidermal growth factor (EGF) was studied in two HEK-293 cell clones (HEK2 and HEK3), expressing functional EGF receptors and exhibiting release of stored Ca2+ by intracellular SPP. In HEK3 cells, EGF increased [Ca2+](i) and stimulated both, SPK and PLC. [Ca2+](i) increase, but not PLC stimulation, was strongly reduced by SPK inhibition. In HEK2 cells, EGF similarly stimulated PLC, but did not increase [Ca2+](i) or stimulate SPK, suggesting that intracellular SPP production plays a major role for Ca2+ signalling by EGF in HEK-293 cells. Copyright (C) 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.