Ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiated human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC-13) releases nitrogen oxides, i.e. nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite (ONOO-), nitrosocompounds, ammonia (NH3) and hydroxylamine (H2NOH) formed from L-arginine. Formation and/or release of these nitrogen oxides was time and concentration-dependently stimulated by UVA and decreased by N-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), a compound that inhibits NO synthase activity. UVA irradiation of SCC-13 cells resulted in concomitant increase in soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) which was inhibited by L-NMMA. The increased NO and ONOO- production evoked by dibutyryl cGMP and 3-isobutyl-l-methyl-xanthine (IBMX) represents an additional positive feedback mechanism that could serve to maintain NO and ONOO- release for extended periods following UVA radiation. Using an in vitro chemical model system, it was demonstrated that oxidation of NH3 to NO by hydroxyl radical (.OH) at physiological pH is chemically feasible. UVA irradiated SCC-13 cells induced a luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence signal that reaches a peak within 1 min. The modulation of this signal by ebselen is consistent with a rate-determining step corresponding to the disproportionation of a luminol-superoxide (O2-) complex. UVA irradiated SCC-13 cells promptly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) production with subsequent decrease of plasma membrane fluidity. Desferrioxamine tested in UVA irradiated SCC-13 cells showed a concentration dependent decrease in MDA production with subsequent restoration of the membrane fluidity to the normal level. Furthermore, it was shown that squamous cell carcinoma possesses higher NO synthase and sGC activity as compared to normal keratinocytes. Such an increase in NO production may be directly related to the poor prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma.