The effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression in human cultured ramified microglial cells was investigated. Using RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis, we found that bFGF prevented the iNOS gene expression as induced by LPS/TNF alpha. Also, bFGF dose-dependently inhibited nitrite levels in treated cell supernatants. That the early presence of bFGF during LPS/TNF alpha induction was essential indicates that iNOS gene expression can be transcriptionally regulated.