The effect of measles virus (MV) infection on mRNA expression and protein synthesis of cytokines in human malignant glioma cell lines (D-54 and U-251) was investigated. Primary MV infections led in both cell lines to the induction of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-beta (IFN-beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In contrast, persistently infected astrocytoma lines continually produced IL-6 (two out of 12 lines high levels) and IFN-beta, whereas only 1 out of 12 lines synthesized TNF-alpha and none IL-1 beta. The pathways for induction of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha expression were not suppressed by the persistent MV infection, since IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha could be induced by external stimuli like diacylglycerol analog plus calcium ionophore. Interestingly, persistently infected astrocytoma cells synthesized considerably higher levels of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha than uninfected cells after additional external induction. These results suggest that in the central nervous system (CNS) of SSPE patients a percentage of persistently infected astrocytes may continually synthesize IL-6 and IFN-beta, and in the presence of additional external stimuli, as possibly provided by activated lymphocytes, might overexpress the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. This may be of pathogenetic significance in CNS diseases associated with persistent MV infections.