Human cytomegalovirus stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism through pathways that are affected by inhibitors of phospholipase A2 and protein kinase C.

Inhibitors of phospholipase A2, tetracaine and quinacrine, inhibitors of protein kinases, H-7 and H-8, and a diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor reduced the level of CMV-induced [3H]AA release. A combination of H-7 and quinacrine inhibited stimulation of [3H]AA by about 80%. LU cells chronically treated with TPA and infected with CMV, had a reduced level of CMV-induced [3H]AA release and in the presence of quinacrine it was completely inhibited. These results suggest that CMV-induced stimulation of AA metabolism is mediated by pathways which are associated with activation of PLA2 and protein kinase C.