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A novel gene ZC3H12A, encoding MCP-1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP), was recently identified in human peripheral blood monocytes treated with monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and in human monocyte-derived macrophages stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β. These experiments revealed that the gene undergoes rapid and potent transcription induction upon stimulation with proinflammatory molecules, such as MCP-1, IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor α and lipopolysaccharide. Here we show that the induction of ZC3H12A by IL-1β is predominantly NF-κB-dependent because inhibition of this signalling pathway results in the impairment of ZC3H12A transcription activation. Our results indicate the presence of an IL-1β-responding region within the second intron of the ZC3H12A gene, which contains four functional NF-κB-binding sites. Therefore, we propose that this transcription enhancer transduces a ZC3H12A transcription-inducing signal after IL-1β stimulation. Recent reports suggest that MCPIP acts as a negative regulator of inflammatory processes because it is engaged in the degradation of transcripts coding for certain proinflammatory cytokines. Our observations provide evidence for a novel negative feedback loop in the activation of NF-κB and point to potential significance of MCPIP in the treatment of various pathological states, such as diabetes or cancer that involve disturbances in the functioning of the NF-κB system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]