1. The active component of endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), inhibited basal DNA synthesis in both RAW 264.7 macrophages (IC50 0.05 +/- 0.03 microgram ml-1) and rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMC) (IC50 9.7 +/- 0.4 micrograms ml-1). 2. In both cell types, serum differentially affected LPS-stimulated inhibition of DNA synthesis. In RAW 264.7 macrophages the presence of serum reduced the IC50 for LPS-stimulated inhibition of DNA synthesis (1.4 +/- 0.85 ng ml-1). However, in RASMC serum stimulated DNA synthesis and further increased the IC50 value for LPS-stimulated inhibition of thymidine incorporation (57.3 +/- 7.8 micrograms ml-1). 3. LPS also stimulated the induction of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages with maximal expression at concentrations of 1-3 micrograms ml-1. This was wholly dependent upon the presence of serum. In RASMC LPS alone, up to concentrations of 100 micrograms ml-1, did not induce nitric oxide synthase and required co-incubation with the direct activator of adenylyl cyclase, forskolin. Under these conditions stimulated expression of NOS was inhibited by the presence of serum. 4. Incubation with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and L-canavanine did not reverse the inhibition of [3H]-thymidine incorporation in response to LPS but prevented the formation of nitrite in both cell types. 5. These results indicate that the effects of LPS upon cell growth are independent of the induction of the 130 kDa isoform of nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide formation in both RAW 264.7 macrophages and RASMC.