Increased cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human pancreatic carcinomas and cell lines: growth inhibition by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 mRNA and protein expression were found to be frequently elevated in human pancreatic adenocarcinomas and cell lines derived from such tumors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated cytoplasmic COX-2 expression in 14 of 21 (67%) pancreatic carcinomas. The level of COX-2 mRNA was found to be elevated in carcinomas, relative to histologically normal pancreas from a healthy individual, as assessed by reverse transcription-PCR. COX-2 protein expression was detected by the Western blot assay in three of five pancreatic carcinoma cell lines (BxPC-3, Capan-1, and MDAPanc-3), whereas COX-1 protein was detected in two of the five cell lines (BxPC-3 and Capan-1). Increased levels of COX-2 mRNA were found in four of five cell lines, and only in PANC-1 cells was the low level of transcript comparable to that in the normal pancreas. The level of COX-2 mRNA was positively correlated with the differentiation status of the tumor of origin for each cell line, COX-2 protein expression was up-regulated by epidermal growth factor when the cells were grown in absence of serum. Finally, two nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sulindac sulfide and NS398, produced a dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation in all pancreatic cell lines tested. No correlation was found between the level of COX-2 or COX-1 expression and the extent of growth inhibition. Treatment of BxPC-3 cells with sulindac sulfide and NS398 resulted in an induction of COX-2 expression. Our findings indicate that COX-2 up-regulation is a frequent event in pancreatic cancers and suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be useful in the chemoprevention and therapy of pancreatic carcinoma.
Molina
M A
MA
Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Sitja-Arnau
M
M
Lemoine
M G
MG
Frazier
M L
ML
Sinicrope
F A
FA
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013467:Sulindac / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013449:Sulfonamides; C080955:N-(2-cyclohexyloxy-4-nitrophenyl)methanesulfonamide; D013467:Sulindac; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases