title: Role of COX-2 in inflammatory and degenerative brain diseases.
abstract: In the last decade, the potential role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandins (PGs) in brain diseases has been extensively studied. COX-2 over-expression has been associated with neurotoxiticy in acute conditions, such as hypoxia/ischemia and seizures, as well as in inflammatory chronic diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role played by COX-2 in neurodegenerative diseases is still controversial and further clinical and experimental studies are warranted. In addition, the emerging role of COX-2 in behavioural and cognitive functions strongly indicates that studies aimed at improving our knowledge of the physiological role of COX-2 in the central nervous system are crucial to fully understand the pros and cons of its manipulation in disabling neurological diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Minghetti
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001519:Behavior; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D003071:Cognition; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012640:Seizures / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human