title: Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell growth in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by COX-2 inhibitors.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of nonselective (indomethacin) and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors (NS-398, nimesulide, and CAY10404) on cell growth, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis in three human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2, HuH-6, and HA22T/VGH) with different characteristics of differentiation and biological behavior. The four COX inhibitors showed a dose-dependent growth-inhibitory effect in all the cell lines. No substantial arrests in the progression of the cells through the cell cycle were observed after treatment of HuH-6 or HA22T/VGH for 48 h with the various inhibitors. On the other hand, there were significant increases in apoptosis, with the highest effect of cell kill being seen after treatment with indomethacin, especially in HuH-6. Our findings support the suggestion that selective or, perhaps more efficiently, nonselective COX-2 inhibitors may have potential therapeutic effects in hepatocellular carcinoma. Further studies must be carried out to better determine the possible mechanisms of these effects.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare, CNR, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Foderà
authors.forename: Natale
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cusimano
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poma
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Notarbartolo
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lampiasi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montalto
authors.forename: Melchiorre
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cervello
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases