METHOD FOR SCREENING COMPOUNDS REGULATING THE EXPRESSION OF HUMAN-INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE

摘要

A transformant prepared by constructing a plasmid wherein a human-inducible nitric oxide synthase (hiNOS) structural gene has been substituted by a luciferase structural gene which is a reporter gene while sustaining the functions of the 5'-promoter region and the 3'-untranslated region of the hiNOS gene and then stably trasferring the plasmid into an established human cell line. This transformant expresses selectively the reporter gene in the presence of an inducer. By determining the expression dose of the reporter gene owing to this transformant, it is possible to conveniently and sensitively screen compounds seemingly being useful in treating inflammation or sepsis through the inhibition of the expression of hiNOS. By inducing the expression thereof, further, it is possible to conveniently and sensitively screen compounds seemingly being useful as antitumor agents or antiviral agents or in treating re-angiostenosis inhibition.