Long-term NSAID treatment directly decreases COX-2 and mPGES-1 production in the articular cartilage of patients with osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To simultaneously study the effect of a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor and that of a classic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) on the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in the cartilage of patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OA) and in cultured human OA chondrocytes.


METHODS
A 3-month clinical trial was carried out on 30 patients with severe knee OA scheduled for knee replacement surgery. Patients were randomized into two groups: patients treated with celecoxib (CBX) and patients treated with aceclofenac (ACF). OA patients who did not want to be treated served as the control group. After surgery, cartilage was processed for molecular biology studies. We also employed cultured chondrocytes from different OA patients to examine NSAID effects on pro-inflammatory gene expression in cells stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta.


RESULTS
Both CBX and ACF inhibited COX-2, microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) synthesis in the articular cartilage of OA patients. In cultured chondrocytes, both NSAID decreased COX-2 and mPGES-1 synthesis and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release induced by IL-1beta, while no effect was observed on nitric oxide or iNOS synthesis. In OA patients, only CBX decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1beta expression in the cartilage, while both NSAID diminished IL-1beta induced cytokine synthesis in cultured OA chondrocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
Both NSAID diminished PGE2 release and induced a decrease in COX-2 and mPGES-1 synthesis in the cartilage from OA patients and in OA chondrocytes. These data suggest that prolonged therapy with PGE2 blocking agents decreases PGE2 production not only by direct inhibition of COX-2 activity, but also by down-regulating COX-2 and mPGES-1 synthesis in the cartilage. However, CBX and ACF seem to have a different anti-inflammatory profile in controlling pro-inflammatory gene expression in the cartilage.
Joint and Bone Research Unit, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Autonomic University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
M A
MA
Alvarez-Soria
G
G
Herrero-Beaumont
J
J
Moreno-Rubio
E
E
Calvo
J
J
Santillana
J
J
Egido
R
R
Largo
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000068579:Celecoxib; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007375:Interleukin-1; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013449:Sulfonamides; D004008:Diclofenac; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D000068579:Celecoxib; D015232:Dinoprostone; C056498:aceclofenac