title: Cyclooxygenase 1 mRNA expression is undetectable in Madin Darby Canine Kidney cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells form polarized epithelium in vitro and are routinely used in research fields ranging from protein trafficking to influenza. However, the canine origin of these cells also means that compared to man or mouse, genomic resources are more limited and performance of commercially available antibodies often untested. The synthesis of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in the kidney is mediated by the constitutively expressed cyclooxygenase 1 and the inducible cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-1 and COX-2, respectively). There are conflicting reports on the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in MDCK cells and this lingering uncertainty about such important pharmacological targets may affect the interpretation of results obtained from this cell line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In order to definitively settle the issue of cyclooxygenase expression in MDCK cells, we designed PCR primers based on dog genomic sequences to probe COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA expression in MDCK cells and dog kidney. We report that while COX-1 and COX-2 genes are both expressed in dog kidney, COX-1 expression is undetectable in MDCK cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By improving the characterization of cyclooxygenase expression in MDCK cells, this study will contribute to a better understanding of the properties of this cell line and lead to improved experimental designs and data interpretations.
authors.affiliation: Hazard Identification Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Environmental Health Centre, 50 Colombine Driveway, P.L. 0803B, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0L2, Canada. guillaume_pelletier@hc-sc.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.affiliation: Hazard Identification Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Environmental Health Centre, 50 Colombine Driveway, P.L. 0803B, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0L2, Canada. bhaja_krushna_padhi@hc-sc.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Bhaja K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Padhi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D004285:Dogs; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology*; D061985:Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1