Mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK) exerts a protective effect on rats with focal ischemia-reperfusion injury through its anti-apoptotic effect on neurons and anti-inflammatory effect on astrocytes by decreasing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increasing the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10; Esmaeilizadeh et al., 2015). The gene discussed is NOS2; the disease is ischemia reperfusion injury.