INDUCTION OF NO SYNTHESIS IN MACROPHAGES BY NEWCASTLE-DISEASE VIRUS IS ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVATION OF NUCLEAR FACTOR-KAPPA-B

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has received much attention recently bec ause of its non-specific immune stimulating potential and its various anti-tumor activities. Here we describe that NDV induces synthesis of NO and causes an activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) in murine macrophages. These reactions were part of an activation process which included also stimulation of adenosine deaminase and inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase. NDV-mediated NO synthesis and NF-kappa B activati on were blocked by an antioxidant (butylated hydroxyanisole), by an in hibitor of protein tyrosine kinase (genistein) and of protein kinase A (H-89), but not by an inhibitor of protein kinase C (staurosporin). T hese data suggest that signalling requirements of NF-kappa B activatio n and NO production in NDV-treated macrophages are similar.