microRNA and human inducible nitric oxide synthase

Regulation of human inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression involves both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. Human iNOS gene transcription is controlled in a cell type-specific manner by extracellular cytokines. Transcriptional regulation of human iNOS gene involves transcription factors NF-κB, Stat-1, AP-1, C/EBPβ, KLF6, Oct 1, and NRF. Important posttranscriptional mechanisms also regulate human iNOS mRNA stability through RNA binding proteins HuR, TTP, KSRP, and PABP. Recently, there are several miRNAs that were validated to regulate human and rodent iNOS gene expression. Among them, miR-939 and miR-26a were identified to bind with the human iNOS 3'-UTR and exert a translational blockade of human iNOS protein synthesis.