COX-2 inhibits anoikis by activation of the PI-3K/Akt pathway in human bladder cancer cells.
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been reported to be associated with tumor development and progression as well as to protect cells from apoptosis induced by various cellular stresses. Through a tetracycline-regulated COX-2 overexpression system, we found that COX-2 inhibits detachment-induced apoptosis (anoikis) in a human bladder cancer cell line, EJ. We also found that the inhibition of anoikis by COX-2 results from activation of the PI-3K/Akt pathway as evidenced by suppression of the COX-2 effect on anoikis by a PI-3K inhibitor, LY294002. Furthermore, COX-2 enhanced Mcl-1 expression in the anoikis process, implying that Mcl-1 also may be involved in mediating the survival function of COX-2. Together, these results suggest that COX-2 inhibits anoikis by activation of the PI-3K/Akt pathway and probably by enhancement of Mcl-1 expression in human bladder cancer cells. This anti- anoikis effect of COX-2 may be a part of mechanisms to promote tumor development and progression.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kangwon National University College of Medicine, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.
Eun-Mi
EM
Choi
Sahng-June
SJ
Kwak
Young-Myeong
YM
Kim
Kwon-Soo
KS
Ha
Jong-Il
JI
Kim
Sam W
SW
Lee
Jeong A
JA
Han
D023102:Anoikis / Q000502:physiology*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human