Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was expressed in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting, immunohistoc-hemistry and immunofluorescence were used to assess the expression level of COX-2 in esophageal tissue.


RESULTS
COX-2 mRNA levels were increased by >80-fold in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma when compared to adjacent noncancerous tissue. COX-2 protein was present in 21 of 30 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues, but was undetectable in noncancerous tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to directly show expression of COX-2 in tumor tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that COX-2 may be an important factor for esophageal cancer and inhibition of COX-2 may be helpful for prevention and possibly treatment of this cancer.
Jiang
Jian-Gang
JG
Department of Internal Medicine and Gene Therapy Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China. dwwang@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn
Tang
Jiang-Bo
JB
Chen
Chun-Lian
CL
Liu
Bao-Xing
BX
Fu
Xiang-Ning
XN
Zhu
Zhi-Hui
ZH
Qu
Wei
W
Cianflone
Katherine
K
Waalkes
Michael-P
MP
Wang
Dao-Wen
DW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases