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.