The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid comprising a promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a peptide or protein and/or an RNA (e.g., antisense or ribozyme), wherein the promoter comprises elements that can include, but are not limited to, a) a myeloid specific promoter element comprising a core sequence GAGGAA; b) a myeloid specific promoter element comprising a core sequence AAGGAGAAG; c) a myeloid specific promoter element comprising a core sequence TTTCCAAA; d) a myeloid specific promoter element comprising a core sequence TGTGGTTGC; e) a myeloid specific promoter element comprising a core sequence TGAGTCA; f) a myeloid associated promoter element comprising a core sequence CCGCCC; and g) any combination of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and/or (f), any combination of multiples of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and/or (f), in any order and/or in any orientation (forward or reverse).