title: Physiological activities of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules: Ca ira.
abstract: In this issue of British Journal of Pharmacology, Megías and colleagues demonstrate how preincubation of human colonic Caco-2 cells with CORM-2, a carbon monoxide releasing molecule (CO-RM), reduces the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 caused by proinflammatory cytokines. A role for IL-6 in the regulation of metalloproteinase (MMP)-7 expression by CORM-2 is described. However, it is the demonstration that CORM-2 inhibits MMP-7 or matrilysin expression, which is most intriguing as this small MMP has been implicated in carcinogenesis. Thus, CO-RMs appear to now possess chemoprotective properties and, in this particular case, may influence inflammation-induced colon carcinogenesis via modulation of nuclear factors participating in the transcription of genes implicated in the development of intestinal inflammation and cancer. This report opens yet another door for research involving these exciting molecules and it is now clear that further discoveries of the beneficial properties of CO-RMs will go on.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, UK. p.k.chatterjee@brighton.ac.uk
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C447082:tricarbonyldichlororuthenium (II) dimer; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7