Up-regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 gene expression correlates with tumor angiogenesis in human colorectal cancer.
Gastroenterology
; 121(6): 1339-47, 2001 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11729113
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS:
Recent studies have shown that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and its products, prostaglandins (PGs), may be involved in colorectal carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether COX-2 expression and PGE(2) production correlate with microvessel density, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and tumor metastasis in human colorectal cancer.METHODS:
Tumor samples and adjacent normal mucosa were obtained from 31 surgical specimens. Immunohistochemical expression of COX-2, VEGF, and CD31 was analyzed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. COX-2 and COX-1 proteins were determined by Western blot analysis. COX-2 and VEGF messenger RNA expressions were evaluated using Northern blot analysis. PGE(2) production was determined by specific radioimmunoassay.RESULTS:
The immunohistochemical expressions of both COX-2 and VEGF were significantly correlated with microvessel density (P = 0.02 and P = 0.002, respectively). A significant correlation was found between COX-2 and VEGF expression (P = 0.004). Western analysis confirmed the up-regulation of COX-2 protein expression. COX-2 and VEGF genes were overexpressed in tumor specimens as compared with normal mucosa. PGE(2) levels were significantly higher in metastatic tumors than in nonmetastatic ones (P = 0.03).CONCLUSIONS:
COX-2 is related to tumor angiogenesis in colorectal cancer. It is likely that VEGF is one of the most important mediators of the COX-2 angiogenic pathway.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Colorectal Neoplasms
/
Adenocarcinoma
/
Gene Expression
/
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
/
Isoenzymes
/
Neovascularization, Pathologic
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Gastroenterology
Year:
2001
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy
Country of publication:
EEUU
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS
/
ESTADOS UNIDOS DA AMERICA
/
EUA
/
UNITED STATES
/
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
/
US
/
USA