WO1994012645A2

WO1994012645A2 - cDNA CLONE FOR HUMAN INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXYDE SYNTHASE AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING SAME

Info

Publication number: WO1994012645A2
Application number: PCT/US1993/011401
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy R. Billiar; Andreas K. Nussler; David A. Geller; Richard L. Simmons
Original assignee: University Of Pittsburgh Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education
Priority date: 1992-11-25
Filing date: 1993-11-23
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Also published as: EP0670902A1; US5468630A; JPH08503852A; CA2150125A1; WO1994012645A3; US5882908A

Abstract

A human tissue inducible nitric oxyde synthase cDNA clone is disclosed. A process for preparing this cDNA clone coding for human tissue inducible nitric oxyde synthase and for expressing the human tissue inducible nitric oxyde synthase protein are provided.

Description

CDNA CLONE FOR HUMAN INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE AND PROCESS FOR PREPARING SAME

Background of the Invention The invention described herein was made in the course of work supported in part by Public Health Service, Grant Nos. GM44100 and GM37753 from the National Institutes of Health, General Medical Sciences.

The following microorganisms have been deposited by David A. Geller on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA, on November 18, 1992, with and are available from the permanent collection of the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) , 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Maryland 202852-1776, USA:

ATCC 75358 Human Hepatocyte Inducible Nitric Oxide

Synthase cDNA in pBluescript (pHINOS) ATCC 69126 Human Hepatocyte Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase cDNA in pBluescript transformed in E___ coli SOLR bacteria

(plasmid HINOS cDNA) The American Type Culture Collection has performed viability tests on each of the hereinbefore mentioned deposited microorganisms and has concluded on November 20, 1992, that each of the hereinbefore mentioned deposited microorganisms is viable and capable of reproduction.

These deposits are available to the public upon the grant of a patent to the assignee, the University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, disclosing them. However, it should be understood that the availability of these deposits does not constitute a license to practice this invention in derogation of patent rights granted by governmental action. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone capable of expressing a human inducible nitric oxide synthase protein, and a process suitable for cloning a cDNA encoding amino acid sequences for the human inducible nitric oxide synthase. More specifically, this invention relates to a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone and to a process for cloning and expression of the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA to provide a source of the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme.

This invention provides a process for cloning a cDNA having an amino acid sequence coding for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. Figures 1A-G show and SEQ ID NO: 1 in the SEQUENCE LISTING contains the 4,145 nucleotide bases for the sense strand of cDNA for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase and sets forth the base codes as triplets (codon) for the coding parts of the nucleotide sequence. Figures 1A-G show and SEQ ID NO: 1 sets forth the amino acid sequence for the cDNA clone for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase encoding amino acids 1 through 1153 of the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND ART It is known by those skilled in the art that nitric oxide (NO) is a biologic mediator derived from the amino acid L-arginine. One of a family of enzymes, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) , acts upon L-arginine to oxidize one of the guanidino nitrogens to NO while citrulline is formed from the remainder of the L-arginine molecule. Nitric oxide is a very short-lived free radical and is rapidly oxidized to nitrite (N0₂-) and nitrate (N0₃-) which is measured as the stable inactive end products of nitric oxide formation.

It is well known by those skilled in the art that multiple isoforms of the nitric oxide synthase enzyme exist and that they are generally classified into two broad categories: 1) constitutive and 2) inducible. These classes of NOS enzymes vary considerably in their size, amino acid sequence, activity and regulation. For example, cells such as neurons and vascular endothelial cells contain constitutive NOS isotypes while macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells express an inducible NOS.

It is generally well known that small amounts of NO generated by a constitutive NOS appear to act as a messenger molecule by activating soluble guanylate cyclase and, thus, increasing intracellular guanosine, 3', 5' - cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and the induction of biological responses that are dependent on cGMP as a secondary messenger. For example, through this mechanism, endothelial derived NO induces relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and is identified as endothelium derived relaxing factor (EDRF) . Nature. Vol. 327, pp. 524-526 (1987) and Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, Vol. 84, pp. 9265-9269 (1987) . Another example includes, but is not limited by, neuronal nitric oxide which acts as a neuro transmitter by activating guanylate cyclase with important functions in the central nervous system and autonomic nervous systems. Proc Natl

Acad Sci USA. Vol. 86, pp. 9030-9033 (1989) and Science, Vol. 257, p. 401 (1992) .

It is generally known by those skilled in the art that the larger quantities of nitric oxide produced by the inducible nitric oxide synthase have antimicrobial and antitumor functions. ___ Clin. Invest. , Vol. 81, pp. 1129-1136 (1989) and Science. Vol. 235, pp. 473-476 (1987), respectively. It is also known by those skilled in the art that when vascular smooth muscle cells are stimulated to express a NOS enzyme by inflammatory cytokines, the excess amounts of nitric oxides that are produced contribute to the vascular collapse seen in sepsis. FEBS Lett.. Vol. 265, pp. 133-136, (1990).

Thus, it will be appreciated that nitric oxide has both normal physiologic intracellular and extracellular regulatory functions. However, excessive production of nitric oxide is detrimental. For example, stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthesis in blood vessels by bacterial endotoxin such as for example bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytokines that are elevated in sepsis results in massive dilation of blood vessels and sustained hypotension commonly encountered in septic shock. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, Vol. 87, pp. 3629-32 (1990). It is known that overproduction of nitric oxide in the lungs stimulated by immune complexes directly damages the lung. J. Immunol.. Vol. 148, p. 3086 (1992) . Induction of nitric oxide synthase in pancreatic islets impairs insulin secretion and contributes to the onset of juvenile diabetes. ______ Biol. Chem. ,

Vol. 266, p. 21351 (1991).

It will be appreciated that there is a great need in the medical community for collective inhibition of the inducible form of NOS but not the constitutive types of NOS in humans because this would allow for a means of preventing, such as for example, the hypotensive shock seen in sepsis, without preventing the physiologic regulation of vasomotor tone or neuro transmission in the central nervous system.

We recently demonstrated that nitric oxide biosynthesis is induced ^'in isolated human hepatocytes after stimulation with interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma and bacterial lipopolysacharride (bacterial endotoxin) . FASEB JOURNAL. Vol. 6, No. 5, page A1834 (April, 1992) and ___ EXP. Med. , Vol. 176, p. 261 (1992). Heretofore no human cell type was known to show increased production of nitrogen oxides when treated with cytokines. Res. Immunol.. Vol. 142, p. 557 (1991). It is generally known by those skilled in the art that all attempts to induce nitric oxide synthase in human macrophages and related cells typical to those found in rodent macrophages have failed. Res. Immunol.. Vol. 142, p. 562, 589-90 (1991).

In spite of this background material, there remains a very real and substantial need for a cDNA clone for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase and a process for the molecular cloning of the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures 1A-G show the cDNA sense sequence (top line of each horizontal row) and the amino acid sequence of amino acids 1-1153 (bottom line of each horizontal row) for the cDNA clone for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase, SEQ ID N0:1.

Figure 2 shows a Northern Blot of a mouse macrophage NOS cDNA cross-hybridizing to human hepatocyte (HC) nitric oxide synthase mRNA. Figure 3 shows a Northern Blot of induced nitric oxide synthase mRNA isolated from three separate human liver samples using mouse macrophage cDNA.

Figure 4 shows a Northern Blot of poly A mRNA purified from 2 separate human liver samples for the construction of the cDNA library for isolation of the cDNA clone for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Figure 5 shows a Northern Blot using cDNA isolated from human hepatocytes that sets forth the time course of induction of human nitric oxide synthase mRNA following cytokine and LPS stimulation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has met the hereinbefore described needs. The present invention provides a cDNA clone for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase and a process for preparing the same.

More specifically, this invention provides a cDNA clone for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase and a process for preparing the same. This process includes inducing nitric oxide synthase in human hepatocytes, identifying human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA, isolating the human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA, collecting the human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA, separating human hepatocyte poly A messenger RNA from the human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA, constructing a cDNA library for human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase, screening this cDNA library for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clones, and converting the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clones to a plasmid vector for obtaining a substantially full length cDNA clone encoding human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. This process further includes sequencing this cDNA, expressing the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA protein in an expression system, and purifying the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA protein. It is an object of the present invention to provide for the molecular cloning and characterization of an inducible nitric oxide synthase in human tissues.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for the molecular cloning and characterization of an inducible nitric oxide synthase in human hepatocytes.

It is an object of the present invention to isolate a cDNA clone for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase.

It is an object of the present invention to isolate a cDNA clone for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for expressing and purifying human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for expressing and purifying human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme.

It is an object of this invention to provide for the regulation of gene expression for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase enzyme.

It is an object of this invention to provide for a protein including a human inducible nitric oxide synthase substantially free of other human proteins.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention, the figures, the sequence listing and the claims appended hereto. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As used herein, the term "patient" includes members of the animal kingdom including but not limited to human beings.

Nitric oxide is a biologic mediator derived from amino acid L-arginine. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) acts upon L-arginine to oxidize one of the guanidino nitrogens to nitric oxide while citrulline is formed from the remainder of the L-arginine molecule. While it is understood by those skilled in the art that nitric oxide has both normal physiologic intracellular and extracellular regulatory functions, excessive production of nitric oxide is detrimental. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are no other readily available sources of human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase. The present invention provides a cDNA clone for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase and a process for preparing the same. Therefore, the cloning and expression of a human tissue nitric oxide synthase cDNA of the present invention provides for a source of the enzyme for developing selective inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase. The cloning and expression of a human tissue nitric oxide synthase cDNA of the present invention provides for a source of the enzyme in a sufficiently high concentration for providing a therapeutic purpose.

In one embodiment of this invention, a process for preparing a cDNA clone coding for a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase is provided. This process includes inducing the human tissue nitric oxide synthase in vitro, identifying the human tissue nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA (mRNA) by employing a cDNA probe capable of hybridizing with the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA, isolating the human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA, collecting the human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA, separating human tissue poly A mRNA from the human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA, constructing a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA library from the human tissue poly A mRNA using a reverse transcriptase enzyme and inserting a strand of the cDNA into a phage vector, screening the cDNA library for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase clones including incubating the phage vector containing the cDNA with a bacteria for forming at least one positive plaque containing the cDNA clone for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase, rescuing the cDNA clone from the phage vector by employing a helper phage, and converting the rescued cDNA clone to a plasmid vector for obtaining a substantially full length cDNA clone encoding human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase. In another embodiment of this invention, this process, as hereinbefore described, further includes excising cDNA inserts for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase from the plasmid vector. This process also includes confirming the cDNA inserts by employing a dideoxynucleotide DNA sequencing. Further, this process includes confirming the cDNA inserts by employing Southern blot hybridization.

In another embodiment of this invention, the process, as hereinbefore described, includes expressing the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA protein in an expression system, such as for example, a bacterial expression system or a mammalian expression system.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cloned human inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA obtained through the methods described herein may be recombinantly expressed by molecular cloning into an expression vector containing a suitable promoter and other appropriate transcription regulatory elements, and transferred into prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells to produce recombinant inducible nitric oxide synthase. Techniques for such manipulations are fully described in Maniatis, et al., infra, and are well known in the art.

Expression vectors are defined herein as DNA sequences that are required for the transcription of cloned copies of genes and the translation of their ro-RNAs in an appropriate host. Such vectors can be used to express eukaryotic genes in a variety of hosts such as for example bacteria, bluegreen algae, plant cells, insect cells and animal cells.

Specifically designed vectors allow the shuttling of DNA between hosts such as bacteria-yeast or bacteria-animal cells. An appropriately constructed expression vector should contain: an origin of replication for autonomous replication in host cells, selectable markers, a limited number of useful restriction enzyme sites, a potential for high copy number, and active promoters. A promoter is defined as a DNA sequence that directs RNA polymerase to bind to DNA and initiate RNA synthesis A strong promoter is one which causes mRNAs to be initiated at high frequency. Expression vectors may include, but are not limited to, cloning vectors, modified cloning vectors, specifically designed plasmids or viruses. A variety of mammalian expression vectors may be used to express recombinant inducible nitric oxide synthase in mammalian cells.

Commercially available bacterial expression vectors which may be suitable for recombinant inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, include but are not limited to, pKC30 (ATCC 37286) , pPLa2311 (ATCC 31694), pBR322 (ATCC 31344 and 37017), ptacl2

(ATCC 37138), lambda gtll (ATCC 37194), pASl (ATCC39262) , pLC24, PSB226, SV40 and pKK 223-3.

Commercially available mammalian expression vectors which may be suitable for recombinant inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, include but are not limited to, pBC12Bl (ATCC 67617) , pMClneo (Stratagene) , pXTI (Stratagene) , pSG5 (Stratagene) , EBO-pSV2-neo (ATCC 37593) pBPV-l(8-2) (ATCC 37110), pdBPV-MMTneo(342-12) (ATCC 37224), pRSVgpt (ATCC 37199), pRSVneo (ATCC 37198), pSV2-dhfr (ATCC 37146), pUCTag (ATCC 37460) , and lambda ZD35 (ATCC 37565) .

DNA encoding inducible nitric oxide synthase may also be cloned into an expression vector for expression in a recombinant host cell. Recombinant host cells may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic, including but not limited to bacteria, yeast, mammalian cells including but not limited to cell lines of human, bovine, porcine, monkey and rodent origin, and insect cells including but not limited to drosophila derived cell lines. Cell lines derived from mammalian species which may be suitable and which are commercially available, include but are not limited to, CV-1 (ATCC CCL70) , COS-1 (ATCC CRL1650) , COS-7 (ATCC CRL1651) , CHO-K1 (ATCC CCL61) , 3T3 (ATCC CCL92), NIH/3T3 (ATCC CRL 1658) , HeLa (ATCC CCL2) , C1271 (ATCC CRL1616) , BS-C-1 (ATCC CCL26) and MRC-5 (ATCC CCL171) . The bacterial cell most used for expression of recombinant protein is Escherichia coli. There are various strains of E. coli available and are well known in the art.

The expression vector may be introduced into host cells via any one of a number of techniques including but not limited to transformation, transfection, protoplast fusion, and electroporation. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the process, as hereinbefore described, includes expressing the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein in a baculovirus expression system.

Another embodiment of this invention provides for a process, as hereinbefore described, including purifying the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the process, as hereinbefore described, includes employing as the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. This process further includes employing as the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein.

In another embodiment of this invention, a process is provided, as hereinbefore described, including inducing the human tissue nitric oxide synthase in vitro by stimulating a human tissue jln vitro with at least one of the following (1) at least one cytokine, such as for example a cytokine selected from the group consisting of tissue necrosis factor (TNF) , interleukin-1 (IL-1) , and interferon-gamma (IFN-g) , (2) at least one bacterial endotoxin including, such as for example, a bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and (3) combinations thereof. A further preferred embodiment of this invention provides a process, as hereinbefore described, that includes constructing a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA library from the human tissue poly A mRNA using a reverse transcriptase enzyme and inserting a cDNA strand having a length of about at least 1,000 base pairs into the phage vector. In yet another preferred embodiment, a process is provided, as hereinbefore described, that includes employing lambda Zap II as the phage vector.

In another embodiment of this invention, a process is provided, as hereinbefore described, including screening the cDNA library including incubating the phage vector for about 6 to 24 hours with a bacteria at a temperature from about 34 to 40 degrees centigrade for effectuating phage lysis of the bacteria. This process further includes rescuing the cDNA clone from the phage vector by employing a helper phage such as for example ExAssist helper phage (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) . In a preferred embodiment of this invention, a process, as hereinbefore described, is provided including converting the rescued cDNA clone to the plasmid vector for obtaining a substantially full length cDNA clone encoding the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase wherein the plasmid vector includes pBluescript (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) .

In another preferred embodiment of this invention, a process as hereinbefore described is provided including employing as the human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. Another embodiment of this invention provides for a process for producing human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein comprising providing a replicatable DNA expression vector capable of expressing a DNA sequence encoding human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase in a suitable host, transforming the host for obtaining a recombinant host, and maintaining the recombinant host under conditions permitting expression of the DNA sequence to provide human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Another embodiment of this invention provides a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone. A preferred embodiment of this invention provides a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone. The human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone of this invention has a cDNA (SEQ ID N0:1) coding for the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2) , shown in Figures 1A-G. Figures 1A-G show the cDNA sense sequence (top line of each horizontal row) and the deduced amino acid sequence of amino acids 1-1153 (bottom line of each horizontal row) for the cDNA clone for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase of this invention. Figures 1A-G show that the cDNA sequence for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase of this invention is 4,145 nucleotide bases long with the start codon beginning at base number 207 and the stop codon ending at base number 3668. The cDNA double strand sequence was determined using the Sanger dideoxynucleotide sequence technique well known by those skilled in the art on a Genesis 2000 sequencing system (USB, Cleveland, Ohio). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol 74, p. 5463 (1977) .

Another embodiment of this invention provides a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase recombinant protein expressed from a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone. In a preferred embodiment, a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase recombinant protein expressed from a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone is provided. Another embodiment of this invention provides for a protein comprising a human inducible nitric oxide synthase substantially free of other human proteins.

Another embodiment of this invention provides for an isolated DNA sequence encoding human inducible nitric oxide synthase consisting essentially of an initiation codon positioned upstream and adjacent to an open reading frame consisting essentially of a DNA sequence encoding human inducible nitric oxide synthase.

A further embodiment of this invention provides for an isolated DNA sequence encoding human inducible nitric oxide synthase consisting essentially of an initiation codon positioned upstream and adjacent to an open reading frame consisting essentially of a DNA sequence encoding human inducible nitric oxide synthase protein. The human inducible nitric oxide synthase protein begins at the initiation codon and terminates at a stop codon.

In yet another embodiment of this invention a recombinant plasmid is provided containing a recombinant plasmid pHINOS having a deposit accession number ATCC 75358 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection. A further embodiment of this invention provides for bacteria transformed by the recombinant plasmid pHINOS.

In another embodiment of this invention a microorganism is provided containing a HINOS cDNA plasmid transformed in E_j_ coli SOLR bacteria having a deposit accession number ATCC 69126 deposited with the American Type Culture Collection.

EXAMPLE 1

INDUCING HUMAN HEPATOCYTE INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE mRNA is weakly induced following stimulation with cytokine signals such as for example tumor necrosis factor (TNF) , interleukin-1 (IL-1) or interleukin-gamma (IFN-g) . Cytokine signals synergize to further up-regulate mRNA levels and nitric oxide synthase activity. Maximum induction was achieved with a combination of TNF, IL-1, IFN-g and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) . FASEB Journal, Vol. 6, supra, and J___ Exp. Med.. Vol. 176, supra. EXAMPLE 2

IDENTIFYING AND ISOLATING HUMAN HEPATOCYTE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE mRNA

A cDNA probe capable of hybridizing with human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA was used for identifying and isolating the mRNA for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. The time-point of peak mRNA levels following cytokine and LPS [hereinafter cytokine mixture (CM) ] stimulation was then determined. Total RNA was extracted about 2-48 hours following

CM-stimulation of cultured human hepatocytes using the RNAzol B modified method of Chomczynski and Sacchi. Anal Bioche . , Vol 162; pp. 156-159 (1987). Northern blot analysis was performed on 20 microgram (ug) aliquots of total RNA using a murine macrophage cDNA probe, representing excision fragment produced by Not I restriction enzyme fProc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. , Vol 89, pp. 6711-6715 (1992) GenBank Accession No. M92649] and cross-species hybridization. The human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase mRNA was identified as a single band at about 4.5 kb (kilobase) with maximal mRNA levels seen about 8 hours after stimulation.

Figure 2 shows the presence of the 4.5 kb message for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. Human hepatocytes (HC) that were freshly isolated were placed in cell culture and exposed to a combination of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor (500 units/milliliter) , human recombinant interleukin-1 (5 units/milliliter) , human recombinant interferon-gamma (100 units/milliliter) , and lipopolysaccharide (10 micrograms/milliliter) . Figure 2 shows that at the indicated time points (2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours and 8 hours) total RNA was isolated and that 20 micrograms per sample was subjected to Northern Blot analysis. A 2.7 Kb fragment of cDNA to murine macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase was used to hybridize with the mRNA for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. Figure 2 demonstrates that the 4.5 Kb message peaked at about 8 hours following stimulation. Figure 2 shows that no mRNA signal was detected in control (unstimulated) hepatocytes. Figure 3 shows the expression of the 4.5 Kb mRNA for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase at about 8 hours after exposure to the above mentioned signals for hepatocytes isolated from three separate individuals [patient (Pt.) 1, 2, and 3]. Figure 3 demonstrates that no signal was detected in control (unstimulated) hepatocytes.

Because the 8 hour time point yielded maximal mRNA levels, samples of RNA were isolated from two human livers about 8 hours following CM-stimulation .in vitro and were pooled to obtain sufficient quantity for the cDNA library construction. The cDNA synthesis requires about from 10 to 20 micrograms of poly A mRNA rather than total RNA. To obtain purified poly A mRNA, poly A mRNA was separated from total RNA by elution through an oligo-dT cellulose column. The purity of the mRNA was assessed by repeat Northern blot analysis which included subjecting 0.5 micrograms of poly A RNA from each of the two human livers to Northern Blot analysis using the 2.7 Kb cDNA from murine macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase. Figure 4 shows strong nitric oxide synthase mRNA bands from 2 different patients without evidence of degraded poly A RNA.

Figure 4 shows that the murine macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase cross hybridizes with the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase poly A RNA and effectively identifies the mRNA for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. These samples of poly A RNA were used to construct the cDNA library for isolation of the cDNA clone for the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

EXAMPLE 3

CONSTRUCTING A HUMAN HEPATOCYTE INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE cDNA LIBRARY

Using about 20 micrograms of poly A RNA enriched for hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase mRNA by CM-stimulation, a cDNA library was constructed by Stratagene, La Jolla, CA. The first strand cDNA was synthesized from the human hepatocyte poly A RNA using reverse transcriptase enzyme with random and oligo-dT primers. After size exclusion for a minimum of about 1000 nucleotide base pair length, the cDNA's were inserted into a lambda Zap II phage vector (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) and was titered.

EXAMPLE 4

SCREENING THE cDNA LIBRARY FOR HUMAN HEPATOCYTE INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE cDNA CLONES To screen the cDNA library, 1 x 10⁶ phage were incubated with bacteria (E_^. coli Sure strain) at about 34 to 40 degrees centigrade for about 15 to 30 minutes. This mixture was added to molten agarose and poured onto 20 x 20 centimeter agar plates at a density of about 2 x 10⁵ plaques/plate (Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 1982) . The plates were incubated from about 34 to 40 degrees centigrade overnight from about 6 to 24 hours to allow for phage lysis of bacteria. The plaques were then transferred to nylon filters and positive clones were identified by filter hybridization with ³²P-labeled murine macrophage nitric oxide synthase cDNA probe. Positive clones were cored from the agar plates after localization by autoradiograph alignment. This procedure was repeated about 3 times until individual clones were isolated. The positive clones were rescued from the lambda Zap II phage vector using a helper phage ExAssist (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) , and then converted to the plasmid vector, pBluescript (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) . The cDNA inserts for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase were excised from the Bluescript plasmid cloning sites by restriction analysis with EcoRI enzyme and then sized by gel electrophoresis. The cDNA insert identities were confirmed by DNA sequencing and by Southern blot hybridization with the murine macrophage cDNA clone. In addition, repeat Northern blot analysis was performed on cytokine-stimulated human hepatocytes in culture using the human nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone of this invention as probe. Figure 5 shows a time course for mRNA expression for human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase. This RNA is from an individual patient different from the patients listed in Figures 2 and 3. The cells of the patient in Figure 5 were exposed to the same agents as described for Figure 2. Figure 5 shows the human nitric oxide synthase cDNA identifying the same m-RNA signal as the macrophage probe, thus, further confirming its identify. It is important to note that the isolated cDNA clone coding for human inducible nitric oxide synthase of this invention was used to hybridize with the mRNA, thus, confirming the capacity of the cDNA clone of this invention to identify the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA.

EXAMPLE 5 cDNA SEQUENCING

The plasmid vector pBluescript contains universal primer regions which were used to facilitate double-stranded DNA sequencing. Positive clones were sequenced by using the dideoxynucleotide technique of Sanger, supra, with the Genesis 2000 sequencing system (USB, Cleveland, Ohio) . Sequence analysis was done using Genbank DNA sequencing software programs available through the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (Billiar TR. , Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Pittsburgh, PA) .

EXAMPLE 6

EXPRESSING HUMAN HEPATOCYTE INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE

Verification of the full length cDNA identify was accomplished by expressing the recombinant human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein. The human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase clone was ligated into the pCIS expression vector (Genentech, CA) which utilizes a CMV promoter. Next the expression vector was transfected into human embryonic kidney 293 cells (ATCC, Maryland) . Nitric oxide synthase activity was assessed by measuring the conversion of [³H] arginine to [³H] citrulline. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this expression system was successfully used for expression of the cloned rat brain constitutive nitric oxide synthase, and there was negligible nitric oxide synthase activity in the unstimulated 293 kidney cells [Bredt et al., Nature. Vol 351, p. 714 (1991)]. After the identity of the human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase clone of this invention was verified as hereinbefore described, the cDNA was expressed in a baculovirus expression system (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA) which allowed for large scale enzyme production. Texas Agriculture Experiment Station Bulletin. No. 1555 (1988) . More specifically, the human hepatocyte nitric oxide synthase cDNA was inserted into the baculovirus transfer vector and then co-transfected with wild type viral DNA into Sf9 insect cells (ATCC, Maryland) . Recombinant viral plaques were isolated to allow for protein over-expression.

EXAMPLE 7

PURIFYING THE HUMAN HEPATOCYTE INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE PROTEIN The resultant human hepatocyte inducible nitric synthase protein was purified using a two step procedure. First, the protein was passed through an anion-exchange column of DEAE cellulose. This was followed by affinity chromatography with 2', 5'-ADP Sepharose. [Evans et al. , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. Vol. 89, pp. 5361-5365 (1992)] Purity was assessed by SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Activity was quantitated after each step by measuring the ability of the enzyme to generate N0₂- and N0₃- from L-arginine. N0₂- and N0₃- was measured using an automated colorimetric reaction based on the Greiss reaction [Green et al., Anal. Biochem.. Vol. 126, p. 131 (1982)].

Whereas, particular embodiments of this invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those persons skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims that follow the SEQUENCE LISTING. SEQUENCE LISTING

(1) GENERAL INFORMATION:

(i) APPLICANTS: Billiar, Timothy R.

Nussler, Andreas K. Geller, David A. Simmons, Richard L.

(ii) TITLE OF INVENTION: cDNA Clone for Human Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase And Process for Preparing Same

(iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 2

(iv) CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS:

(A) ADDRESSEE: Arnold B. Silverman

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott

(B) STREET: 600 Grant Street, 42nd Floor

(C) CITY: Pittsburgh

(D) STATE: PA

(E) COUNTRY: USA

(F) ZIP: 15219

(v) COMPUTER READABLE FORM:

(A) MEDIUM TYPE: Floppy disk

(B) COMPUTER: IBM PC compatible

(C) OPERATING SYSTEM: PC-DOS/MS-DOS

(D) SOFTWARE: PatentIn Release #1.0, Version #1.25

(vi) CURRENT APPLICATION DATA:

(A) APPLICATION NUMBER: US 07/981,344

(B) FILING DATE: 25-NOV-1992

(C) CLASSIFICATION:

(viii) ATTORNEY/AGENT INFORMATION:

(A) NAME: Silverman, Arnold B.

(B) REGISTRATION NUMBER: 22,614

(C) REFERENCE/DOCKET NUMBER: 116972

(ix) TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION:

(A) TELEPHONE: (412) 566-6000

(B) TELEFAX: (412) 566-6099

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (C) TELEX: 866172

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:l:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 4145 base pairs

(B) TYPE: nucleic acid

(C) STRANDEDNESS: double

(D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA

(A) Human Hepatocyte Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase cDNA Clone

(iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO

(iv) ANTI-SENSE: NO

(vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE:

(F) TISSUE TYPE: Induced Human Hepatocyte RNA

(vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:

(A) LIBRARY: Lambda Zap II cDNA

(B) CLONE: pHINOS

(viii) POSITION IN GENOME:

(A) CHROMOSOME/SEGMENT: unknown

(B) MAP POSITION: unknown

(C) UNITS: unknown

(ix) FEATURE:

(A) NAME/KEY : CDS

(B) LOCATION: 207 . . 3668

(C) IDENTIFICATION METHOD : Experiment

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO : l : CTGCTTTAAA ATCTCTCGGC CACCTTTGAT GAGGGGACTG GGCAGTTCTA GACAGTCCCG 60

AAGTTCTCAA GGCACAGGTC TCTTCCTGGT TTGACTGTCC TTACCCCGGG GAGGCAGTGC 120

SUBSTITUTE SHEET AGCCAGCTGC AAGCCCCACA GTGAAGAACA TCTGAGCTCA AATCCAGATA AGTGACATAA 180

GTGACCTGCT TTGTAAAGCC ATAGAG ATG GCC TGT CCT TGG AAA TTT CTG TTC 233

Met Ala Cys Pro Trp Lys Phe Leu Phe

1 5

AAG ACC AAA TTC CAC CAG TAT GCA ATG AAT GGG GAA AAA GAC ATC AAC 281 Lys Thr Lys Phe His Gin Tyr Ala Met Asn Gly Glu Lys Asp lie Asn 10 15 20 25

AAC AAT GTG GAG AAA GCC CCC TGT GCC ACC TCC AGT CCA GTG ACA CAG 329 Asn Asn Val Glu Lys Ala Pro Cys Ala Thr Ser Ser Pro Val Thr Gin 30 35 40

GAT GAC CTT CAG TAT CAC AAC CTC AGC AAG CAG CAG AAT GAG TCC CCG 377 Asp Asp Leu Gin Tyr His Asn Leu Ser Lys Gin Gin Asn Glu Ser Pro 45 50 55

CAG CCC CTC GTG GAG ACG GGA AAG AAG TCT CCA GAA TCT CTG GTC AAG 425 Gin Pro Leu Val Glu Thr Gly Lys Lys Ser Pro Glu Ser Leu Val Lys 60 65 70

CTG GAT GCA ACC CCA TTG TCC TCC CCA CGG CAT GTG AGG ATC AAA AAC 473 Leu Asp Ala Thr Pro Leu Ser Ser Pro Arg His Val Arg lie Lys Asn 75 80 85

TGG GGC AGC GGG ATG ACT TTC CAA GAC ACA CTT CAC CAT AAG GCC AAA 521 Trp Gly Ser Gly Met Thr Phe Gin Asp Thr Leu His His Lys Ala Lys 90 95 100 105

GGG ATT TTA ACT TGC AGG TCC AAA TCT TGC CTG GGG TCC ATT ATG ACT 569 Gly He Leu Thr Cys Arg Ser Lys Ser Cys Leu Gly Ser He Met Thr 110 115 120

CCC AAA AGT TTG ACC AGA GGA CCC AGG GAC AAG CCT ACC CCT CCA GAT 617 Pro Lys Ser Leu Thr Arg Gly Pro Arg Asp Lys Pro Thr Pro Pro Asp 125 130 135

GAG CTT CTA CCT CAA GCT ATC GAA TTT GTC AAC CAA TAT TAC GGC TCC 665 Glu Leu Leu Pro Gin Ala He Glu Phe Val Asn Gin Tyr Tyr Gly Ser 140 145 150

TTC AAA GAG GCA AAA ATA GAG GAA CAT CTG GCC AGG GTG GAA GCG GTA 713 Phe Lys Glu Ala Lys He Glu Glu His Leu Ala Arg Val Glu Ala Val 155 160 165

ACA AAG GAG ATA GAA ACA ACA GGA ACC TAC CAA CTG ACG GGA GAT GAG 761 Thr Lys Glu He Glu Thr Thr Gly Thr Tyr Gin Leu Thr Gly Asp Glu 170 175 180 185

CTC ATC TTC GCC ACC AAG CAG GCC TGG CGC AAT GCC CCA CGC TGC ATT 809 Leu He Phe Ala Thr Lys Gin Ala Trp Arg Asn Ala Pro Arg Cys He 190 195 200

GGG AGG ATC CAG TGG TCC AAC CTG CAG GTC TTC GAT GCC CGC AGC TGT 857 Gly Arg He Gin Trp Ser Asn Leu Gin Val Phe Asp Ala Arg Ser Cys 205 210 215

SUBSTITUTE SHEET TCC ACT GCC CGG GAA ATG TTT GAA CAC ATC TGC AGA CAC GTG CGT TAC 905 Ser Thr Ala Arg Glu Met Phe Glu His He Cys Arg His Val Arg Tyr 220 225 230

TCC ACC AAC AAT GGC AAC ATC AGG TCG GCC ATC ACC GTG TTC CCC CAG 953 Ser Thr Asn Asn Gly Asn He Arg Ser Ala He Thr Val Phe Pro Gin 235 240 245

CGG AGT GAT GGC AAG CAC GAC TTC CGG GTG TGG AAT GCT CAG CTC ATC 1001 Arg Ser Asp Gly Lys His Asp Phe Arg Val Trp Asn Ala Gin Leu He 250 255 260 265

CGC TAT GCT GGC TAC CAG ATG CCA GAT GGC AGC ATC AGA GGG GAC CCT 1049 Arg Tyr Ala Gly Tyr Gin Met Pro Asp Gly Ser He Arg Gly Asp Pro 270 275 280

GCC AAC GTG GAA TTC ACT CAG CTG TGC ATC GAC CTG GGC TGG AAG CCC 1097 Ala Asn Val Glu Phe Thr Gin Leu Cys He Asp Leu Gly Trp Lys Pro 285 290 295

AAG TAC GGC CGC TTC GAT GTG GTC CCC CTG GTC CTG CAG GCC AAT GGC 1145 Lys Tyr Gly Arg Phe Asp Val Val Pro Leu Val Leu Gin Ala Asn Gly 300 305 310

CGT GAC CCT GAG CTC TTC GAA ATC CCA CCT GAC CTT GTG CTT GAG GTG 1193 Arg Asp Pro Glu Leu Phe Glu He Pro Pro Asp Leu Val Leu Glu Val 315 320 325

GCC ATG GAA CAT CCC AAA TAC GAG TGG TTT CGG GAA CTG GAG CTA AAG 1241 Ala Met Glu His Pro Lys Tyr Glu Trp Phe Arg Glu Leu Glu Leu Lys 330 335 340 345

TGG TAC GCC CTG CCT GCA GTG GCC AAC ATG CTG CTT GAG GTG GGC GGC 1289 Trp Tyr Ala Leu Pro Ala Val Ala Asn Met Leu Leu Glu Val Gly Gly 350 355 360

CTG GAG TTC CCA GGG TGC CCC TTC AAT GGC TGG TAC ATG GGC ACA GAG 1337 Leu Glu Phe Pro Gly Cys Pro Phe Asn Gly Trp Tyr Met Gly Thr Glu 365 370 375

ATC GGA GTC CGG GAC TTC TGT GAC GTC CAG CGC TAC AAC ATC CTG GAG 1385 He Gly Val Arg Asp Phe Cys Asp Val Gin Arg Tyr Asn He Leu Glu 380 385 390

GAA GTG GGC AGG AGA ATG GGC CTG GAA ACG CAC AAG CTG GCC TCG CTC 1433 Glu Val Gly Arg Arg Met Gly Leu Glu Thr His Lys Leu Ala Ser Leu 395 400 405

TGG AAA GAC CAG GCT GTC GTT GAG ATC AAC ATT GCT GTG ATC CAT AGT 1481 Trp Lys Asp Gin Ala Val Val Glu He Asn He Ala Val He His Ser 410 415 420 425

TTT CAG AAG CAG AAT GTG ACC ATC ATG GAC CAC CAC TCG GCT GCA GAA 1529 Phe Gin Lys Gin Asn Val Thr He Met Asp His His Ser Ala Ala Glu 430 435 440

SUBSTITUTE SHEET TCC TTC ATG AAG TAC ATG CAG AAT GAA TAC CGG TCC CGT GGG GGC TGC 1577 Ser Phe Met Lys Tyr Met Gin Asn Glu Tyr Arg Ser Arg Gly Gly Cys 445 450 455

CCG GCA GAC TGG ATT TGG CTG GTC CCT CCC ATG TCT GGG AGC ATC ACC 1625 Pro Ala Asp Trp He Trp Leu Val Pro Pro Met Ser Gly Ser He Thr 460 465 470

CCC GTG TTT CAC CAG GAG ATG CTG AAC TAC GTC CTG TCC CCT TTC TAC 1673 Pro Val Phe His Gin Glu Met Leu Asn Tyr Val Leu Ser Pro Phe Tyr 475 480 485

TAC TAT CAG GTA GAG GCC TGG AAA ACC CAT GTC TGG CAG GAC GAG AAG 1721 Tyr Tyr Gin Val Glu Ala Trp Lys Thr His Val Trp Gin Asp Glu Lys 490 495 500 505

CGG AGA CCC AAG AGA AGA GAG ATT CCA TTG AAA GTC TTG GTC AAA GCT 1769 Arg Arg Pro Lys Arg Arg Glu He Pro Leu Lys Val Leu Val Lys Ala 510 515 520

GTG CTC TTT GCC TGT ATG CTG ATG CGC AAG ACA ATG GCG TCC CGA GTC 1817 Val Leu Phe Ala Cys Met Leu Met Arg Lys Thr Met Ala Ser Arg Val 525 530 535

AGA GTC ACC ATC CTC TTT GCG ACA GAG ACA GGA AAA TCA GAG GCG CTG 1865 Arg Val Thr He Leu Phe Ala Thr Glu Thr Gly Lys Ser Glu Ala Leu 540 545 550

GCC TGG GAC CTG GGG GCC TTA TTC AGC TGT GCC TTC AAC CCC AAG GTT 1913 Ala Trp Asp Leu Gly Ala Leu Phe Ser Cys Ala Phe Asn Pro Lys Val 555 560 565

GTC TGC ATG GAT AAG TAC AGG CTG AGC TGC CTG GAG GAG GAA CGG CTG 1961 Val Cys Met Asp Lys Tyr Arg Leu Ser Cys Leu Glu Glu Glu Arg Leu 570 575 580 585

CTG TTG GTG GTG ACC AGT ACG TTT GGC AAT GGA GAC TGC CCT GGC AAT 2009 Leu Leu Val Val Thr Ser Thr Phe Gly Asn Gly Asp Cys Pro Gly Asn 590 595 600

GGA GAG AAA CTG AAG AAA TCG CTC TTC ATG CTG AAA GAG CTC AAC AAC 2057 Gly Glu Lys Leu Lys Lys Ser Leu Phe Met Leu Lys Glu Leu Asn Asn 605 610 615

AAA TTC AGG TAC GCT GTG TTT GGC CTC GGC TCC AGC ATG TAC CCT CGG 2105 Lys Phe Arg Tyr Ala Val Phe Gly Leu Gly Ser Ser Met Tyr Pro Arg 620 625 630

TTC TGC GCC TTT GCT CAT GAC ATT GAT CAG AAG CTG TCC CAC CTG GGG 2153 Phe Cys Ala Phe Ala His Asp He Asp Gin Lys Leu Ser His Leu Gly 635 640 645

GCC TCT CAG CTC ACC CCG ATG GGA GAA GGG GAT GAG CTC AGT GGG CAG 2201 Ala Ser Gin Leu Thr Pro Met Gly Glu Gly Asp Glu Leu Ser Gly Gin 650 655 660 665

SUBSTITUTE SHEET GAG GAC GCC TTC CGC AGC TGG GCC GTG CAA ACC TTC AAG GCA GCC TGT 2249 Glu Asp Ala Phe Arg Ser Trp Ala Val Gin Thr Phe Lys Ala Ala Cys 670 675 680

GAG ACG TTT GAT GTC CGA GGC AAA CAG CAC ATT CAG ATC CCC AAG CTC 2297 Glu Thr Phe Asp Val Arg Gly Lys Gin His He Gin He Pro Lys Leu 685 690 695

TAC ACC TCC AAT GTG ACC TGG GAC CCG CAC CAC TAC AGG CTC GTG CAG 2345 Tyr Thr Ser Asn Val Thr Trp Asp Pro His His Tyr Arg Leu Val Gin 700 705 710

GAC TCA CAG CCT TTG GAC CTC AGC AAA GCC CTC AGC AGC ATG CAT GCC 2393 Asp Ser Gin Pro Leu Asp Leu Ser Lys Ala Leu Ser Ser Met His Ala 715 720 725

AAG AAC GTG TTC ACC ATG AGG CTC AAA TCT CGG CAG AAT CTA CAA AGT 2441 Lys Asn Val Phe Thr Met Arg Leu Lys Ser Arg Gin Asn Leu Gin Ser 730 735 740 745

CCG ACA TCC AGC CGT GCC ACC ATC CTG GTG GAA CTC TCC TGT GAG GAT 2489 Pro Thr Ser Ser Arg Ala Thr He Leu Val Glu Leu Ser Cys Glu Asp 750 755 760

GGC CAA GGC CTG AAC TAC CTG CCG GGG GAG CAC CTT GGG GTT TGC CCA 2537 Gly Gin Gly Leu Asn Tyr Leu Pro Gly Glu His Leu Gly Val Cys Pro 765 770 775

GGC AAC CAG CCG GCC CTG GTC CAA GGC ATC CTG GAG CGA GTG GTG GAT 2585 Gly Asn Gin Pro Ala Leu Val Gin Gly He Leu Glu Arg Val Val Asp 780 785 790

GGC CCC ACA CCC CAC CAG ACA GTG CGC CTG GAG GAC CTG GAT GAG AGT 2633 Gly Pro Thr Pro His Gin Thr Val Arg Leu Glu Asp Leu Asp Glu Ser 795 800 805

GGC AGC TAC TGG GTC AGT GAC AAG AGG CTG CCC CCC TGC TCA CTC AGC 2681 Gly Ser Tyr Trp Val Ser Asp Lys Arg Leu Pro Pro Cys Ser Leu Ser 810 815 820 825

CAG GCC CTC ACC TAC TCC CCG GAC ATC ACC ACA CCC CCA ACC CAG CTG 2729 Gin Ala Leu Thr Tyr Ser Pro Asp He Thr Thr Pro Pro Thr Gin Leu 830 835 840

CTG CTC CAA AAG CTG GCC CAG GTG GCC ACA GAA GAG CCT GAG AGA CAG 2777 Leu Leu Gin Lys Leu Ala Gin Val Ala Thr Glu Glu Pro Glu Arg Gin 845 850 855

AGG CTG GAG GCC CTG TGC CAG CCC TCA GAG TAC AGC AAG TGG AAG TTC 2825 Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Cys Gin Pro Ser Glu Tyr Ser Lys Trp Lys Phe 860 865 870

ACC AAC AGC CCC ACA TTC CTG GAG GTG CTA GAG GAG TTC CCG TCC CTG 2873 Thr Asn Ser Pro Thr Phe Leu Glu Val Leu Glu Glu Phe Pro Ser Leu 875 880 885

SUBSTITUTE SHEET CGG GTG TCT GCT GGC TTC CTG CTT TCC CAG CTC CCC ATT CTG AAG CCC 2921 Arg Val Ser Ala Gly Phe Leu Leu Ser Gin Leu Pro He Leu Lys Pro 890 895 900 905

AGG TTC TAC TCC ATC AGC TCC TCC CGG GAT CAC ACG CCC ACG GAG ATC 2969 Arg Phe Tyr Ser He Ser Ser Ser Arg Asp His Thr Pro Thr Glu He 910 915 920

CAC CTG ACT GTG GCC GTG GTC ACC TAC CAC ACC GGA GAT GGC CAG GGT 3017 His Leu Thr Val Ala Val Val Thr Tyr His Thr Gly Asp Gly Gin Gly 925 930 935

CCC CTG CAC CAC GGT GTC TGC AGC ACA TGG CTC AAC AGC CTG AAG CCC 3065 Pro Leu His His Gly Val Cys Ser Thr Trp Leu Asn Ser Leu Lys Pro 940 945 950

CAA GAC CCA GTG CCC TGC TTT GTG CGG AAT GCC AGC GCC TTC CAC CTC 3113 Gin Asp Pro Val Pro Cys Phe Val Arg Asn Ala Ser Ala Phe His Leu 955 960 965

CCC GAG GAT CCC TCC CAT CCT TGC ATC CTC ATC GGG CCT GGC ACA GGC 3161 Pro Glu Asp Pro Ser His Pro Cys He Leu He Gly Pro Gly Thr Gly 970 975 980 985

ATC GTG CCC TTC CGC AGT TTC TGG CAG CAA CGG CTC CAT GAC TCC CAG 3209 He Val Pro Phe Arg Ser Phe Trp Gin Gin Arg Leu His Asp Ser Gin 990 995 1000

CAC AAG GGA GTG CGG GGA GGC CGC ATG ACC TTG GTG TTT GGG TGC CGC 3257 His Lys Gly Val Arg Gly Gly Arg Met Thr Leu Val Phe Gly Cys Arg 1005 1010 1015

CGC CCA GAT GAG GAC CAC ATC TAC CAG GAG GAG ATG CTG GAG ATG GCC 3305 Arg Pro Asp Glu Asp His He Tyr Gin Glu Glu Met Leu Glu Met Ala 1020 1025 1030

CAG AAG GGG GTG CTG CAT GCG GTG CAC ACA GCC TAT TCC CGC CTG CCT 3353 Gin Lys Gly Val Leu His Ala Val His Thr Ala Tyr Ser Arg Leu Pro 1035 1040 1045

GGC AAG CCC AAG GTC TAT GTT CAG GAC ATC CTG CGG CAG CAG CTG GCC 3401 Gly Lys Pro Lys Val Tyr Val Gin Asp He Leu Arg Gin Gin Leu Ala 1050 1055 1060 1065

AGC GAG GTG CTC CGT GTG CTC CAC AAG GAG CCA GGC CAC CTC TAT GTT 3449 Ser Glu Val Leu Arg Val Leu His Lys Glu Pro Gly His Leu Tyr Val 1070 1075 1080

TGC GGG GAT GTG CGC ATG GCC CGG GAC GTG GCC CAC ACC CTG AAG CAG 3497 Cys Gly Asp Val Arg Met Ala Arg Asp Val Ala His Thr Leu Lys Gin 1085 1090 1095

CTG GTG GCT GCC AAG CTG AAA TTG AAT GAG GAG CAG GTC GAG GAC TAT 3545 Leu Val Ala Ala Lys Leu Lys Leu Asn Glu Glu Gin Val Glu Asp Tyr 1100 1105 1110

SUBSTITUTE SHEET TTC TTT CAG CTC AAG AGC CAG AAG CGC TAT CAC GAA GAT ATC TTC GGT 3593 Phe Phe Gin Leu Lys Ser Gin Lys Arg Tyr His Glu Asp He Phe Gly 1115 1120 1125

GCT GTA TTT CCT TAC GAG GCG AAG AAG GAC AGG GTG GCG GTG CAG CCC 3641 Ala Val Phe Pro Tyr Glu Ala Lys Lys Asp Arg Val Ala Val Gin Pro 1130 1135 1140 1145

AGC AGC CTG GAG ATG TCA GCG CTC TGAGGGCCTA CAGGAGGGGT TAAAGCTGCC 3695 Ser Ser Leu Glu Met Ser Ala Leu 1150

GGCACAGAAC TTAAGGATGG AGCCAGCTCT GCATTATCTG AGGTCACAGG GCCTGGGGAG 3755

ATGGAGGAAA GTGATATCCC CCAGCCTCAA GTCTTATTTC CTCAACGTTG CTCCCCATCA 3815

AGCCCTTTAC TTGACCTCCT AACAAGTAGC ACCCTGGATT GATCGGAGCC TCCTCTCTCA 3875

AACTGGGGCC TCCCTGGTCC CTTGGAGACA AAATCTTAAA TGCCAGGCCT GGCGAGTGGG 3935

TGAAAGATGG AACTTGCTGC TGAGTGCACC ACTTCAAGTG ACCACCAGGA GGTGCTATCG 3995

CACCACTGTG TATTTAACTG CCTTGTGTAC AGTTATTTAT GCCTCTGTAT TTAAAAAACT 4055

AACACCCAGT CTGTTCCCCA TGGCCACTTG GGTCTTCCCT GTATGATTCC TTGATGGAGA 4115

TATTTACATG AATTGCATTT TACTTTAATC 4145

(2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:

(i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:

(A) LENGTH: 1153 amino acids

(B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear

(ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein

(xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2

Met Ala Cys Pro Trp Lys Phe Leu Phe Lys Thr Lys Phe His Gin Tyr

1 5 10 15

Ala Met Asn Gly Glu Lys Asp He Asn Asn Asn Val Glu Lys Ala Pro 20 25 30

Cys Ala Thr Ser Ser Pro Val Thr Gin Asp Asp Leu Gin Tyr His Asn 35 40 45

Leu Ser Lys Gin Gin Asn Glu Ser Pro Gin Pro Leu Val Glu Thr Gly 50 55 60

SUBSTITUTE SHEET Lys Lys Ser Pro Glu Ser Leu Val Lys Leu Asp Ala Thr Pro Leu Ser 65 70 75 80

Ser Pro Arg His Val Arg He Lys Asn Trp Gly Ser Gly Met Thr Phe 85 90 95

Gin Asp Thr Leu His His Lys Ala Lys Gly He Leu Thr Cys Arg Ser 100 105 110

Lys Ser Cys Leu Gly Ser He Met Thr Pro Lys Ser Leu Thr Arg Gly 115 120 125

Pro Arg Asp Lys Pro Thr Pro Pro Asp Glu Leu Leu Pro Gin Ala He 130 135 140

Glu Phe Val Asn Gin Tyr Tyr Gly Ser Phe Lys Glu Ala Lys He Glu 145 150 155 160

Glu His Leu Ala Arg Val Glu Ala Val Thr Lys Glu He Glu Thr Thr 165 170 175

Gly Thr Tyr Gin Leu Thr Gly Asp Glu Leu He Phe Ala Thr Lys Gin 180 185 190

Ala Trp Arg Asn Ala Pro Arg Cys He Gly Arg He Gin Trp Ser Asn 195 200 205

Leu Gin Val Phe Asp Ala Arg Ser Cys Ser Thr Ala Arg Glu Met Phe 210 215 220

Glu His He Cys Arg His Val Arg Tyr Ser Thr Asn Asn Gly Asn He 225 230 235 240

Arg Ser Ala He Thr Val Phe Pro Gin Arg Ser Asp Gly Lys His Asp 245 250 255

Phe Arg Val Trp Asn Ala Gin Leu He Arg Tyr Ala Gly Tyr Gin Met 260 265 270

Pro Asp Gly Ser He Arg Gly Asp Pro Ala Asn Val Glu Phe Thr Gin 275 280 285

Leu Cys He Asp Leu Gly Trp Lys Pro Lys Tyr Gly Arg Phe Asp Val 290 295 300

Val Pro Leu Val Leu Gin Ala Asn Gly Arg Asp Pro Glu Leu Phe Glu 305 310 315 320

He Pro Pro Asp Leu Val Leu Glu Val Ala Met Glu His Pro Lys Tyr 325 330 335

Glu Trp Phe Arg Glu Leu Glu Leu Lys Trp Tyr Ala Leu Pro Ala Val 340 345 350

Ala Asn Met Leu Leu Glu Val Gly Gly Leu Glu Phe Pro Gly Cys Pro 355 360 365

SUBSTITUTESHEET Phe Asn Gly Trp Tyr Met Gly Thr Glu He Gly Val Arg Asp Phe Cys 370 375 380

Asp Val Gin Arg Tyr Asn He Leu Glu Glu Val Gly Arg Arg Met Gly 385 390 395 400

Leu Glu Thr His Lys Leu Ala Ser Leu Trp Lys Asp Gin Ala Val Val 405 410 415

Glu He Asn He Ala Val He His Ser Phe Gin Lys Gin Asn Val Thr 420 425 430

He Met Asp His His Ser Ala Ala Glu Ser Phe Met Lys Tyr Met Gin 435 440 445

Asn Glu Tyr Arg Ser Arg Gly Gly Cys Pro Ala Asp Trp He Trp Leu 450 455 460

Val Pro Pro Met Ser Gly Ser He Thr Pro Val Phe His Gin Glu Met 465 470 475 480

Leu Asn Tyr Val Leu Ser Pro Phe Tyr Tyr Tyr Gin Val Glu Ala Trp 485 490 495

Lys Thr His Val Trp Gin Asp Glu Lys Arg Arg Pro Lys Arg Arg Glu 500 505 510

He Pro Leu Lys Val Leu Val Lys Ala Val Leu Phe Ala Cys Met Leu 515 520 525

Met Arg Lys Thr Met Ala Ser Arg Val Arg Val Thr He Leu Phe Ala 530 535 540

Thr Glu Thr Gly Lys Ser Glu Ala Leu Ala Trp Asp Leu Gly Ala Leu 545 550 555 560

Phe Ser Cys Ala Phe Asn Pro Lys Val Val Cys Met Asp Lys Tyr Arg 565 570 575

Leu Ser Cys Leu Glu Glu Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Val Val Thr Ser Thr 580 585 590

Phe Gly Asn Gly Asp Cys Pro Gly Asn Gly Glu Lys Leu Lys Lys Ser 595 600 605

Leu Phe Met Leu Lys Glu Leu Asn Asn Lys Phe Arg Tyr Ala Val Phe 610 615 620

Gly Leu Gly Ser Ser Met Tyr Pro Arg Phe Cys Ala Phe Ala His Asp 625 630 635 640

He Asp Gin Lys Leu Ser His Leu Gly Ala Ser Gin Leu Thr Pro Met 645 650 655

Gly Glu Gly Asp Glu Leu Ser Gly Gin Glu Asp Ala Phe Arg Ser Trp 660 665 670

SUBSTITUTE SHEET Ala Val Gin Thr Phe Lys Ala Ala Cys Glu Thr Phe Asp Val Arg Gly 675 680 685

Lys Gin His He Gin He Pro Lys Leu Tyr Thr Ser Asn Val Thr Trp 690 695 700

Asp Pro His His Tyr Arg Leu Val Gin Asp Ser Gin Pro Leu Asp Leu 705 710 715 720

Ser Lys Ala Leu Ser Ser Met His Ala Lys Asn Val Phe Thr Met Arg 725 730 735

Leu Lys Ser Arg Gin Asn Leu Gin Ser Pro Thr Ser Ser Arg Ala Thr 740 745 750

He Leu Val Glu Leu Ser Cys Glu Asp Gly Gin Gly Leu Asn Tyr Leu 755 760 765

Pro Gly Glu His Leu Gly Val Cys Pro Gly Asn Gin Pro Ala Leu Val 770 775 780

Gin Gly He Leu Glu Arg Val Val Asp Gly Pro Thr Pro His Gin Thr 785 790 795 800

Val Arg Leu Glu Asp Leu Asp Glu Ser Gly Ser Tyr Trp Val Ser Asp 805 810 815

Lye Arg Leu Pro Pro Cys Ser Leu Ser Gin Ala Leu Thr Tyr Ser Pro 820 825 830

Asp He Thr Thr Pro Pro Thr Gin Leu Leu Leu Gin Lys Leu Ala Gin 835 840 845

Val Ala Thr Glu Glu Pro Glu Arg Gin Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Cys Gin 850 855 860

Pro Ser Glu Tyr Ser Lys Trp Lys Phe Thr Asn Ser Pro Thr Phe Leu 865 870 875 880

Glu Val Leu Glu Glu Phe Pro Ser Leu Arg Val Ser Ala Gly Phe Leu 885 890 895

Leu Ser Gin Leu Pro He Leu Lys Pro Arg Phe Tyr Ser He Ser Ser 900 905 910

Ser Arg Asp His Thr Pro Thr Glu He His Leu Thr Val Ala Val Val 915 920 925

Thr Tyr His Thr Gly Asp Gly Gin Gly Pro Leu His His Gly Val Cys 930 935 940

Ser Thr Trp Leu Asn Ser Leu Lys Pro Gin Asp Pro Val Pro Cys Phe 945 950 955 960

Val Arg Asn Ala Ser Ala Phe His Leu Pro Glu Asp Pro Ser His Pro 965 970 975

SUBSTITUTESHEET Cys He Leu He Gly Pro Gly Thr Gly He Val Pro Phe Arg Ser Phe 980 985 990

Trp Gin Gin Arg Leu His Asp Ser Gin His Lys Gly Val Arg Gly Gly 995 1000 1005

Arg Met Thr Leu Val Phe Gly Cys Arg Arg Pro Asp Glu Asp His He 1010 1015 1020

Tyr Gin Glu Glu Met Leu Glu Met Ala Gin Lys Gly Val Leu His Ala 1025 1030 1035 1040

Val His Thr Ala Tyr Ser Arg Leu Pro Gly Lys Pro Lys Val Tyr Val 1045 1050 1055

Gin Asp He Leu Arg Gin Gin Leu Ala Ser Glu Val Leu Arg Val Leu 1060 1065 1070

His Lys Glu Pro Gly His Leu Tyr Val Cys Gly Asp Val Arg Met Ala 1075 1080 1085

Arg Asp Val Ala His Thr Leu Lys Gin Leu Val Ala Ala Lys Leu Lys 1090 1095 1100

Leu Asn Glu Glu Gin Val Glu Asp Tyr Phe Phe Gin Leu Lys Ser Gin 1105 1110 1115 1120

Lys Arg Tyr His Glu Asp He Phe Gly Ala Val Phe Pro Tyr Glu Ala 1125 1130 1135

Lys Lys Asp Arg Val Ala Val Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Glu Met Ser Ala 1140 1145 1150

Leu

SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A process for preparing a cDNA clone coding for a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase comprising: inducing said human tissue nitric oxide synthase in vitro; identifying human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA by employing a cDNA probe capable of hybridizing with said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA; isolating said human tissue nitric oxide synthase m-RNA; collecting said human tissue nitric oxide synthase m-RNA; separating human tissue poly A mRNA from said human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA; constructing a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA library from said human tissue poly A mRNA using a reverse transcriptase enzyme and inserting a strand of said cDNA into a phage vector; screening said cDNA library for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase clones including incubating said phage vector containing said cDNA with a bacteria for forming at least one positive plaque containing said cDNA clone for said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase; rescuing said cDNA clone from said phage vector by employing a helper phage; and converting said cDNA clone to a plasmid vector for obtaining a substantially full length cDNA clone encoding said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase.

2. A process of Claim 1 including excising cDNA inserts for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase from said plasmid vector.

3. A process of Claim 2 including confirming said cDNA inserts by employing a dideoxynucleotide DNA sequencing.

4. A process of Claim 2, including confirming said cDNA inserts by employing Southern blot hybridization.

5. A process of Claim 2 including expressing a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein by employing said cDNA inserts for human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase in an expression system.

6. A process of Claim 5 including employing said expression system being a baculovirus expression system.

7. A process of Claim 5 including purifying said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein.

8. A process of Claim 1 including employing said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase being a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

9. A process of Claim 2 including employing said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase being a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

10. A process of Claim 5 including employing said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein being a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein.

11. A process of Claim 7 including employing said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase protein being a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein.

12. A process of Claim 1 including inducing said human tissue nitric oxide synthase .in vitro by stimulating a human tissue in vitro with at least one of the following (1) at least one cytokine, (2) at least one bacterial endotoxin and (3) combinations thereof.

13. A process of Claim 12 including inducing said human tissue nitric oxide synthase in vitro by stimulating a human tissue in vitro with at least one of the following (1) at least one cytokine comprising a cytokine selected from the group consisting of tissue necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and interferon-gamma, (2) at least one bacterial endotoxin including a bacterial lipopolysaccharide, and (3) combinations thereof.

14. A process of Claim 12 including identifying said human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA by employing a cDNA probe capable of hybridizing with said human tissue nitric oxide synthase mRNA.

15. A process of Claim 14 including inserting said cDNA strand having a length of about at least 1000 base pairs into said phage vector.

16. A process of Claim 15 including employing said phage vector being lambda Zap II.

17. A process of Claim 15 including screening said cDNA library including incubating said phage vector with a bacteria at a temperature from about 34 to 40 degrees centigrade for about 6 to 24 hours for effectuating phage lysis of said bacteria.

18. A process of Claim 17 including rescuing said cDNA clone from said phage vector by employing a helper phage.

19. A process of Claim 18 including employing said helper phage being ExAssist helper phage.

20. A process of Claim 18 including converting said rescued cDNA clone to said plasmid vector for obtaining said substantially full length cDNA clone encoding said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase, and employing pBluescript as said plasmid vector.

21. A process of Claim 20 including employing said human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase being a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

22. A human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone comprising a cDNA coding for the amino acid sequence, SEQ ID NO:2:

Met Ala Cys Pro Trp Lys Phe Leu Phe Lys Thr Lys Phe His Gin Tyr

Ala Met Asn Gly Glu Lys Asp lie Asn Asn Asn Val Glu Lys Ala Pro Cys Ala Thr Ser Ser Pro Val Thr Gin Asp Asp Leu Gin Tyr His Asn

Leu Ser Lys Gin Gin Asn Glu Ser Pro Gin Pro Leu Val Glu Thr Gly

Lys Lys Ser Pro Glu Ser Leu Val Lys Leu Asp Ala Thr Pro Leu Ser

Ser Pro Arg His Val Arg lie Lys Asn Trp Gly Ser Gly Met Thr Phe

Gin Asp Thr Leu His His Lys Ala Lys Gly lie Leu Thr Cys Arg Ser Lys Ser Cys Leu Gly Ser lie Met Thr Pro Lys Ser Leu Thr Arg Gly

Pro Arg Asp Lys Pro Thr Pro Pro Asp Glu Leu Leu Pro Gin Ala lie

Glu Phe Val Asn Gin Tyr Tyr Gly Ser Phe Lys Glu Ala Lys lie Glu

Glu His Leu Ala Arg Val Glu Ala Val Thr Lys Glu lie Glu Thr Thr

Gly Thr Tyr Gin Leu Thr Gly Asp Glu Leu lie Phe Ala Thr Lys Gin Ala Trp Arg Asn Ala Pro Arg Cys lie Gly Arg lie Gin Trp Ser Asn

Leu Gin Val Phe Asp Ala Arg Ser Cys Ser Thr Ala Arg Glu Met Phe

Glu His lie Cys Arg His Val Arg Tyr Ser Thr Asn Asn Gly Asn lie

Arg Ser Ala lie Thr Val Phe Pro Gin Arg Ser Asp Gly Lys His Asp

Phe Arg Val Trp Asn Ala Gin Leu lie Arg Tyr Ala Gly Tyr Gin Met

Pro Asp Gly Ser lie Arg Gly Asp Pro Ala Asn Val Glu Phe Thr Gin

Leu Cys lie Asp Leu Gly Trp Lys Pro Lys Tyr Gly Arg Phe Asp Val Val Pro Leu Val Leu Gin Ala Asn Gly Arg Asp Pro Glu Leu Phe Glu lie Pro Pro Asp Leu Val Leu Glu Val Ala Met Glu His Pro Lys Tyr

Glu Trp Phe Arg Glu Leu Glu Leu Lys Trp Tyr Ala Leu Pro Ala Val

Ala Asn Met Leu Leu Glu Val Gly Gly Leu Glu Phe Pro Gly Cys Pro

Phe Asn Gly Trp Tyr Met Gly Thr Glu lie Gly Val Arg Asp Phe Cys Asp Val Gin Arg Tyr Asn lie Leu Glu Glu Val Gly Arg Arg Met Gly

Leu Glu Thr His Lys Leu Ala Ser Leu Trp Lys Asp Gin Ala Val Val

Glu lie Asn lie Ala Val lie His Ser Phe Gin Lys Gin Asn Val Thr lie Met Asp His His Ser Ala Ala Glu Ser Phe Met Lys Tyr Met Gin

Asn Glu Tyr Arg Ser Arg Gly Gly Cys Pro Ala Asp Trp lie Trp Leu Val Pro Pro Met Ser Gly Ser lie Thr Pro Val Phe His Gin Glu Met

Leu Asn Tyr Val Leu Ser Pro Phe Tyr Tyr Tyr Gin Val Glu Ala Trp

Lys Thr His Val Trp Gin Asp Glu Lys Arg Arg Pro Lys Arg Arg Glu lie Pro Leu Lys Val Leu Val Lys Ala Val Leu Phe Ala Cys Met Leu

Met Arg Lys Thr Met Ala Ser Arg Val Arg Val Thr lie Leu Phe Ala Thr Glu Thr Gly Lys Ser Glu Ala Leu Ala Trp Asp Leu Gly Ala Leu

Phe Ser Cys Ala Phe Asn Pro Lys Val Val Cys Met Asp Lys Tyr Arg

Leu Ser Cys Leu Glu Glu Glu Arg Leu Leu Leu Val Val Thr Ser Thr

Phe Gly Asn Gly Asp Cys Pro Gly Asn Gly Glu Lys Leu Lys Lys Ser

Leu Phe Met Leu Lys Glu Leu Asn Asn Lys Phe Arg Tyr Ala Val Phe Gly Leu Gly Ser Ser Met Tyr Pro Arg Phe Cys Ala Phe Ala His Asp lie Asp Gin Lys Leu Ser His Leu Gly Ala Ser Gin Leu Thr Pro Met

Gly Glu Gly Asp Glu Leu Ser Gly Gin Glu Asp Ala Phe Arg Ser Trp

Ala Val Gin Thr Phe Lys Ala Ala Cys Glu Thr Phe Asp Val Arg Gly

Lys Gin His lie Gin lie Pro Lys Leu Tyr Thr Ser Asn Val Thr Trp

Asp Pro His His Tyr Arg Leu Val Gin Asp Ser Gin Pro Leu Asp Leu

Ser Lys Ala Leu Ser Ser Met His Ala Lys Asn Val Phe Thr Met Arg Leu Lys Ser Arg Gin Asn Leu Gin Ser Pro Thr Ser Ser Arg Ala Thr lie Leu Val Glu Leu Ser Cys Glu Asp Gly Gin Gly Leu Asn Tyr Leu

Pro Gly Glu His Leu Gly Val Cys Pro Gly Asn Gin Pro Ala Leu Val

Gin Gly lie Leu Glu Arg Val Val Asp Gly Pro Thr Pro His Gin Thr

Val Arg Leu Glu Asp Leu Asp Glu Ser Gly Ser Tyr Trp Val Ser Asp Lys Arg Leu Pro Pro Cys Ser Leu Ser Gin Ala Leu Thr Tyr Ser Pro

Asp lie Thr Thr Pro Pro Thr Gin Leu Leu Leu Gin Lys Leu Ala Gin

Val Ala Thr Glu Glu Pro Glu Arg Gin Arg Leu Glu Ala Leu Cys Gin

Pro Ser Glu Tyr Ser Lys Trp Lys Phe Thr Asn Ser Pro Thr Phe Leu

Glu Val Leu Glu Glu Phe Pro Ser Leu Arg Val Ser Ala Gly Phe Leu Leu Ser Gin Leu Pro lie Leu Lys Pro Arg Phe Tyr Ser lie Ser Ser

Ser Arg Asp His Thr Pro Thr Glu lie His Leu Thr Val Ala Val Val

Thr Tyr His Thr Gly Asp Gly Gin Gly Pro Leu His His Gly Val Cys

Ser Thr Trp Leu Asn Ser Leu Lys Pro Gin Asp Pro Val Pro Cys Phe

Val Arg Asn Ala Ser Ala Phe His Leu Pro Glu Asp Pro Ser His Pro Cys lie Leu lie Gly Pro Gly Thr Gly lie Val Pro Phe Arg Ser Phe

Trp Gin Gin Arg Leu His Asp Ser Gin His Lys Gly Val Arg Gly Gly

Arg Met Thr Leu Val Phe Gly Cys Arg Arg Pro Asp Glu Asp His lie

Tyr Gin Glu Glu Met Leu Glu Met Ala Gin Lys Gly Val Leu His Ala

Val His Thr Ala Tyr Ser Arg Leu Pro Gly Lys Pro Lys Val Tyr Val Gin Asp lie Leu Arg Gin Gin Leu Ala Ser Glu Val Leu Arg Val Leu

His Lys Glu Pro Gly His Leu Tyr Val Cys Gly Asp Val Arg Met Ala

Arg Asp Val Ala His Thr Leu Lys Gin Leu Val Ala Ala Lys Leu Lys

Leu Asn Glu Glu Gin Val Glu Asp Tyr Phe Phe Gin Leu Lys Ser Gin

Lys Arg Tyr His Glu Asp lie Phe Gly Ala Val Phe Pro Tyr Glu Ala

Lys Lys Asp Arg Val Ala Val Gin Pro Ser Ser Leu Glu Met Ser Ala

Leu

23. A human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase clone comprising the cDNA sequence, SEQ ID NO:l:

CTGCTTTAAA ATCTCTCGGC CACCTTTGAT GAGGGGACTG GGCAGTTCTA GACAGTCCCG

AAGTTCTCAA GGCACAGGTC TCTTCCTGGT TTGACTGTCC TTACCCCGGG GAGGCAGTGC

AGCCAGCTGC AAGCCCCACA GTGAAGAACA TCTGAGCTCA AATCCAGATA AGTGACATAA GTGACCTGCT TTGTAAAGCC ATAGAG ATG GCC TGT CCT TGG AAA TTT CTG TTC

AAG ACC AAA TTC CAC CAG TAT GCA ATG AAT GGG GAA AAA GAC ATC AAC

AAC AAT GTG GAG AAA GCC CCC TGT GCC ACC TCC AGT CCA GTG ACA CAG

GAT GAC CTT CAG TAT CAC AAC CTC AGC AAG CAG CAG AAT GAG TCC CCG

CAG CCC CTC GTG GAG ACG GGA AAG AAG TCT CCA GAA TCT CTG GTC AAG CTG GAT GCA ACC CCA TTG TCC TCC CCA CGG CAT GTG AGG ATC AAA AAC

TGG GGC AGC GGG ATG ACT TTC CAA GAC ACA CTT CAC CAT AAG GCC AAA

GGG ATT TTA ACT TGC AGG TCC AAA TCT TGC CTG GGG TCC ATT ATG ACT

CCC AAA AGT TTG ACC AGA GGA CCC AGG GAC AAG CCT ACC CCT CCA GAT

GAG CTT CTA CCT CAA GCT ATC GAA TTT GTC AAC CAA TAT TAC GGC TCC TTC AAA GAG GCA AAA ATA GAG GAA CAT CTG GCC AGG GTG GAA GCG GTA

ACA AAG GAG ATA GAA ACA ACA GGA ACC TAC CAA CTG ACG GGA GAT GAG

CTC ATC TTC GCC ACC AAG CAG GCC TGG CGC AAT GCC CCA CGC TGC ATT

GGG AGG ATC CAG TGG TCC AAC CTG CAG GTC TTC GAT GCC CGC AGC TGT TCC ACT GCC CGG GAA ATG TTT GAA CAC ATC TGC AGA CAC GTG CGT TAC

TCC ACC AAC AAT GGC AAC ATC AGG TCG GCC ATC ACC GTG TTC CCC CAG

CGG AGT GAT GGC AAG CAC GAC TTC CGG GTG TGG AAT GCT CAG CTC ATC

CGC TAT GCT GGC TAC CAG ATG CCA GAT GGC AGC ATC AGA GGG GAC CCT

GCC AAC GTG GAA TTC ACT CAG CTG TGC ATC GAC CTG GGC TGG AAG CCC

AAG TAC GGC CGC TTC GAT GTG GTC CCC CTG GTC CTG CAG GCC AAT GGC

CGT GAC CCT GAG CTC TTC GAA ATC CCA CCT GAC CTT GTG CTT GAG GTG GCC ATG GAA CAT CCC AAA TAC GAG TGG TTT CGG GAA CTG GAG CTA AAG

TGG TAC GCC CTG CCT GCA GTG GCC AAC ATG CTG CTT GAG GTG GGC GGC

CTG GAG TTC CCA GGG TGC CCC TTC AAT GGC TGG TAC ATG GGC ACA GAG

ATC GGA GTC CGG GAC TTC TGT GAC GTC CAG CGC TAC AAC ATC CTG GAG

GAA GTG GGC AGG AGA ATG GGC CTG GAA ACG CAC AAG CTG GCC TCG CTC TGG AAA GAC CAG GCT GTC GTT GAG ATC AAC ATT GCT GTG ATC CAT AGT

TTT CAG AAG CAG AAT GTG ACC ATC ATG GAC CAC CAC TCG GCT GCA GAA

TCC TTC ATG AAG TAC ATG CAG AAT GAA TAC CGG TCC CGT GGG GGC TGC

CCG GCA GAC TGG ATT TGG CTG GTC CCT CCC ATG TCT GGG AGC ATC ACC

CCC GTG TTT CAC CAG GAG ATG CTG AAC TAC GTC CTG TCC CCT TTC TAC TAC TAT CAG GTA GAG GCC TGG AAA ACC CAT GTC TGG CAG GAC GAG AAG

CGG AGA CCC AAG AGA AGA GAG ATT CCA TTG AAA GTC TTG GTC AAA GCT

GTG CTC TTT GCC TGT ATG CTG ATG CGC AAG ACA ATG GCG TCC CGA GTC

AGA GTC ACC ATC CTC TTT GCG ACA GAG ACA GGA AAA TCA GAG GCG CTG

GCC TGG GAC CTG GGG GCC TTA TTC AGC TGT GCC TTC AAC CCC AAG GTT GTC TGC ATG GAT AAG TAC AGG CTG AGC TGC CTG GAG GAG GAA CGG CTG

CTG TTG GTG GTG ACC AGT ACG TTT GGC AAT GGA GAC TGC CCT GGC AAT

GGA GAG AAA CTG AAG AAA TCG CTC TTC ATG CTG AAA GAG CTC AAC AAC

AAA TTC AGG TAC GCT GTG TTT GGC CTC GGC TCC AGC ATG TAC CCT CGG TTC TGC GCC TTT GCT CAT GAC ATT GAT CAG AAG CTG TCC CAC CTG GGG

GCC TCT CAG CTC ACC CCG ATG GGA GAA GGG GAT GAG CTC AGT GGG CAG

GAG GAC GCC TTC CGC AGC TGG GCC GTG CAA ACC TTC AAG GCA GCC TGT

GAG ACG TTT GAT GTC CGA GGC AAA CAG CAC ATT CAG ATC CCC AAG CTC

TAC ACC TCC AAT GTG ACC TGG GAC CCG CAC CAC TAC AGG CTC GTG CAG

GAC TCA CAG CCT TTG GAC CTC AGC AAA GCC CTC AGC AGC ATG CAT GCC

AAG AAC GTG TTC ACC ATG AGG CTC AAA TCT CGG CAG AAT CTA CAA AGT CCG ACA TCC AGC CGT GCC ACC ATC CTG GTG GAA CTC TCC TGT GAG GAT

GGC CAA GGC CTG AAC TAC CTG CCG GGG GAG CAC CTT GGG GTT TGC CCA

GGC AAC CAG CCG GCC CTG GTC CAA GGC ATC CTG GAG CGA GTG GTG GAT

GGC CCC ACA CCC CAC CAG ACA GTG CGC CTG GAG GAC CTG GAT GAG AGT

GGC AGC TAC TGG GTC AGT GAC AAG AGG CTG CCC CCC TGC TCA CTC AGC CAG GCC CTC ACC TAC TCC CCG GAC ATC ACC ACA CCC CCA ACC CAG CTG

CTG CTC CAA AAG CTG GCC CAG GTG GCC ACA GAA GAG CCT GAG AGA CAG

AGG CTG GAG GCC CTG TGC CAG CCC TCA GAG TAC AGC AAG TGG AAG TTC

ACC AAC AGC CCC ACA TTC CTG GAG GTG CTA GAG GAG TTC CCG TCC CTG

CGG GTG TCT GCT GGC TTC CTG CTT TCC CAG CTC CCC ATT CTG AAG CCC AGG TTC TAC TCC ATC AGC TCC TCC CGG GAT CAC ACG CCC ACG GAG ATC

CAC CTG ACT GTG GCC GTG GTC ACC TAC CAC ACC GGA GAT GGC CAG GGT

CCC CTG CAC CAC GGT GTC TGC AGC ACA TGG CTC AAC AGC CTG AAG CCC

CAA GAC CCA GTG CCC TGC TTT GTG CGG AAT GCC AGC GCC TTC CAC CTC

CCC GAG GAT CCC TCC CAT CCT TGC ATC CTC ATC GGG CCT GGC ACA GGC ATC GTG CCC TTC CGC AGT TTC TGG CAG CAA CGG CTC CAT GAC TCC CAG

CAC AAG GGA GTG CGG GGA GGC CGC ATG ACC TTG GTG TTT GGG TGC CGC

CGC CCA GAT GAG GAC CAC ATC TAC CAG GAG GAG ATG CTG GAG ATG GCC

CAG AAG GGG GTG CTG CAT GCG GTG CAC ACA GCC TAT TCC CGC CTG CCT GGC AAG CCC AAG GTC TAT GTT CAG GAC ATC CTG CGG CAG CAG CTG GCC

AGC GAG GTG CTC CGT GTG CTC CAC AAG GAG CCA GGC CAC CTC TAT GTT

TGC GGG GAT GTG CGC ATG GCC CGG GAC GTG GCC CAC ACC CTG AAG CAG

CTG GTG GCT GCC AAG CTG AAA TTG AAT GAG GAG CAG GTC GAG GAC TAT

TTC TTT CAG CTC AAG AGC CAG AAG CGC TAT CAC GAA GAT ATC TTC GGT

GCT GTA TTT CCT TAC GAG GCG AAG AAG GAC AGG GTG GCG GTG CAG CCC

AGC AGC CTG GAG ATG TCA GCG CTC TGAGGGCCTA CAGGAGGGGT TAAAGCTGCC GGCACAGAAC TTAAGGATGG AGCCAGCTCT GCATTATCTG AGGTCACAGG GCCTGGGGAG

ATGGAGGAAA GTGATATCCC CCAGCCTCAA GTCTTATTTC CTCAACGTTG CTCCCCATCA

AGCCCTTTAC TTGACCTCCT AACAAGTAGC ACCCTGGATT GATCGGAGCC TCCTCTCTCA

AACTGGGGCC TCCCTGGTCC CTTGGAGACA AAATCTTAAA TGCCAGGCCT GGCGAGTGGG

TGAAAGATGG AACTTGCTGC TGAGTGCACC ACTTCAAGTG ACCACCAGGA GGTGCTATCG CACCACTGTG TATTTAACTG CCTTGTGTAC AGTTATTTAT GCCTCTGTAT TTAAAAAACT

AACACCCAGT CTGTTCCCCA TGGCCACTTG GGTCTTCCCT GTATGATTCC TTGATGGAGA

TATTTACATG AATTGCATTT TACTTTAATC

24. A process for producing human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase protein comprising: providing a replicatable DNA expression vector capable of expressing a DNA sequence encoding human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase in a suitable host; transforming said host for obtaining a recombinant host; and maintaining said recombinant host under conditions permitting expression of said DNA sequence to provide said human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase.

25. A recombinant protein comprising a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase recombinant protein expressed from a human tissue inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone.

26. A recombinant protein comprising a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase recombinant protein expressed from a human hepatocyte inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA clone.