We have previously demonstrated that p38 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are components of proinflammatory induced cytokine expression in human airway myocytes. The experiments described here further these studies by examining p38 MAPK and NF-κB regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in response to a complex inflammatory stimulus consisting of 10 ng/ml interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon (IFN)-γ. COX-2 expression was induced with this stimulus in a time-dependent manner, with maximal expression seen 12-20 h after treatment. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting experiments demonstrate decreased COX-2 expression following treatment with the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB-203580 (25 μM) or the proteosome inhibitor MG-132 (1 μM). SB-203580 did not affect cytokine-stimulated IκBα degradation, NF-κB nuclear binding activity, or NF-κB-dependent signaling from the COX-2 promoter, indicating that p38 MAPK and NF-κB may affect COX-2 expression via separate signaling pathways. SB-203580, but not MG-132, also increased the initial rate of COX-2 mRNA decay, indicating p38 MAPK, but not NF-κB, participates in the regulation of COX-2 mRNA stability. These findings suggest that although p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling regulate steady-state levels of COX-2 expression, p38 MAPK additionally affects stability of COX-2 mRNA in cytokine-stimulated human airway myocytes.