The endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase: is it really constitutively expressed?
During the past two years, the enzyme responsible for production of endothelium-derived nitric oxide, the endothelial cell NO synthase (ecNOS) has been cloned and the gene encoding this enzyme isolated, cloned and its structure characterized. This research has provided direction for a variety of studies of regulation of the ecNOS. Several features of the ecNOS are compatible with a constitutively expressed, poorly regulated gene, including absence of a TATA box and numerous SP-1 sites. The promoter also contains a number of putative binding domains which suggest that it may be regulated by a variety of transcription factor mediated signals. In this review we will discuss evidence to support the concept that the ecNOS is a constitutively expressed gene subject to a modest degree of regulation by important physiological influences.
Harrison
D G
DG
Department of Medicine, Emory University of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.
Venema
R C
RC
Arnal
J F
JF
Inoue
N
N
Ohara
Y
Y
Sayegh
H
H
Murphy
T J
TJ
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases