Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors suppress the growth of gastric cancer xenografts via induction of apoptosis in nude mice.
To clarify the role of mitogen-inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) in the development of malignant tumors, we investigated the effects of COX-2 inhibitors on the growth of gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice in vivo. MKN45 gastric cancer cells (5 x 10(6) cells/animal) that overexpress COX-2 were inoculated subcutaneously into athymic mice. NS-398, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, or indomethacin, a nonspecific COX-2 inhibitor, was administered orally to animals every day for 20 days. These drugs reduced the tumor volume significantly. Immunohistochemistry using bromodeoxyuridine, nick end labeling, and electron microscopy showed that NS-398 induced apoptosis in cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited cancer cell replication slightly. Indomethacin also induced apoptosis and suppressed replication of tumor cells. There was a significant negative correlation between tumor volume and apoptotic cell number within the tumor. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that COX-2 inhibitors suppress growth of gastric cancer xenografts mainly by inducing apoptosis and suppressing replication of the neoplastic cells. It follows that COX-2 plays an important role in the development of gastric cancer.
First Department of Medicine, Osaka University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
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H
Sawaoka
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Kawano
S
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Tsuji
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M
Tsujii
E S
ES
Gunawan
Y
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Takei
K
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Nagano
M
M
Hori
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D013449:Sulfonamides; C080955:N-(2-cyclohexyloxy-4-nitrophenyl)methanesulfonamide; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; D015232:Dinoprostone; D007213:Indomethacin