Marked increase in cyclooxygenase-2 in ALS spinal cord: implications for therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the hypothesis that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is linked to the pathology of ALS by determining whether COX-2 mRNA levels are upregulated in ALS spinal cord.


METHODS
Spinal cord from 11 ALS cases and 27 controls consisting of 15 cases of Alzheimer disease (AD), six cases of Parkinson disease (PD), three cases of cerebrovascular disease, and three control cases were analyzed. Total RNA was extracted and reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis performed for the mRNA of COX-2, COX-1, the microglial marker CD11b, and the housekeeping gene cyclophilin.


RESULTS
In ALS compared with non-ALS spinal cord, COX-2 mRNA was upregulated 7.09-fold (p < 0.0001), COX-1 1.14-fold (p = 0.05), and CD11b 1.85-fold (p = 0.0012). COX-2 mRNA levels in AD, PD, cerebrovascular disease, and control cases were each significantly lower than in ALS and were not significantly different from each other. Western blots of the protein products were in general accord with the mRNA data, with COX-2 protein levels being upregulated 3.79-fold compared with non-ALS cases (p = 0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
The strong upregulation of COX-2 mRNA in ALS is in accord with studies in the superoxide dismutase transgenic mouse model in which COX-2 upregulation occurs. Taken in conjunction with evidence of a neuroprotective effect of COX-2 inhibitors in certain animal models and in organotypic cultures, the data are supportive of a possible future role for COX-2 inhibitors in the treatment of ALS.
Yasojima
K
K
Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Tourtellotte
W W
WW
McGeer
E G
EG
McGeer
P L
PL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases