title: COX-2 independent induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in colon cancer cells by the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib.
abstract: The regular use of various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was shown to decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer. This effect is thought to be caused predominantly by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and, subsequently, prostaglandin synthesis. However, recent studies have suggested that COX-independent pathways may contribute considerably to these antiproliferative effects. To evaluate the involvement of COX-dependent and COX-independent mechanisms further, we assessed the effects of celecoxib (selective COX-2 inhibitor) and SC560 (selective COX-1 inhibitor) on cell survival, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis in three colon cancer cell lines, which differ in their expression of COX-2. Both drugs induced a G0/G1 phase block and reduced cell survival independent of whether or not the cells expressed COX-2. Celecoxib was more potent than SC560. The G0/G1 block caused by celecoxib could be attributed to a decreased expression of cyclin A, cyclin B1, and cyclin-dependent kinase-1 and an increased expression of the cell cycle inhibitory proteins p21Waf1 and p27Kip1. In addition, celecoxib, but not SC560, induced apoptosis, which was also independent of the COX-2 expression of the cells. In vivo, celecoxib as well as SC560 reduced the proliferation of HCT-15 (COX-2 deficient) colon cancer xenografts in nude mice, but both substances had no significant effect on HT-29 tumors, which express COX-2 constitutively. Thus, our in vitro and in vivo data indicate that the antitumor effects of celecoxib probably are mediated through COX-2 independent mechanisms and are not restricted to COX-2 over-expressing tumors.
authors.affiliation: pharmazentrum frankfurt, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grösch
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tegeder
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Niederberger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bräutigam
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geisslinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D000068579:Celecoxib; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D016213:Cyclins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; C493957:Cdkn1a protein, mouse; C493961:Cdkn1b protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011720:Pyrazoles; C115461:SC 560; D013449:Sulfonamides; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D000068579:Celecoxib