Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor induces apoptosis and enhances cytotoxicity of various anticancer agents in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.
In recent years, a combination of two demographic phenomena, an increase in the number of older people in the population and an increase in the incidence of lung cancer with age, has made it mandatory to develop therapeutic modalities with less toxicity for the treatment of inoperable elderly patients with lung cancer. Our study shows that a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, nimesulide, can inhibit proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cell lines in vitro in a dose-dependent manner, in part by inducing apoptosis even at clinically achievable low concentrations. Our observations also suggest that the responsiveness of non-small cell lung cancer to COX-2 inhibitors does not require the presence of wild-type p53, but may be influenced by the degree of COX-2 expression. In addition, we found that nimesulide, when used in combination at clinically achievable concentrations, reduced the IC50 values of various anticancer agents by up to 77%, although the level of reduction varied considerably. Because our previous studies have indicated a significantly increased COX-2 expression in up to 70% of adenocarcinoma cases, the present findings are of great clinical interest. In conjunction with the recent development of next generation, highly selective COX-2 inhibitors, they can be expected to lead to even greater efficacy of their use as adjuncts to various anticancer agents for the treatment of high-risk patients without compromising their quality of life.
Hida
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.
Kozaki
K
K
Muramatsu
H
H
Masuda
A
A
Shimizu
S
S
Mitsudomi
T
T
Sugiura
T
T
Ogawa
M
M
Takahashi
T
T
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D013449:Sulfonamides; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C012655:nimesulide