• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.320.2-320.2
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• 2002

Macrophages activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are known to induce several proinflammatory proteins including COX-2. iNOS and TNF which produce chemical mediators involved in inflammatory response. Sophoricoside and its analogs (genistin, genistein and orobol) from Sophora japonica (Leguminosae) showed differential inhibitory effects on COX-1 and 2 activities. Sophoricoside and genistin shwoed IC50 values of 4 uM and 6 uM on COX-2 activity and of 1,497 uM and 135 uM on COX-1 activity, respectively. Genistein and orobol showed IC50 values of 3 uM on COX-2 activity and of 28 uM and 18 uM on COX-1 activity. respectively. Therefore. the legume isoflavonoids to be selective COX-2 inhibitors. However. sophoricoside and its analogs did not show inhibitory effects of COX-2, iNos and TNF transcripts. which were identified by the RT-PCR.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.552-560
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• 2009

Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) are ER-resident proteins that catalyze the committed step in prostanoid synthesis. COX-1 is constitutively expressed in many mammalian cells, whereas COX-2 is usually expressed inducibly and transiently. Abnormal expression of COX-2 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation and various cancers; therefore, it is subject to tight and complex regulation. Differences in regulation of the COX enzymes at the posttranscriptional and posttranslational levels also contribute significantly to their distinct patterns of expression. Rapid degradation of COX-2 mRNA has been attributed to AU-rich elements (AREs) at its 3’UTR. Recently, microRNAs that can selectively repress COX-2 protein synthesis have been identified. The mature forms of these COX proteins are very similar in structure except that COX-2 has a unique 19-amino acid (19-aa) segment located near the C-terminus. This C-terminal 19-aa cassette plays an important role in mediation of the entry of COX-2 into the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) system, which transports ER proteins to the cytoplasm for degradation by the 26S proteasome. A second pathway for COX-2 protein degradation is initiated after the enzyme undergoes suicide inactivation following cyclooxygenase catalysis. Here, we discuss these molecular determinants of COX-2 expression in detail.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2000

The antiinflammatory mechanism of NSAIDs is attributed to the reduction of prostaglandin synthesis by the direct inhibition of cyclooxygenase. Inhibition of prostaglandin production in organs such as stomach and kidney can result in gastric lesions, nephrotoxicity and increased bleeding. In this study, newly designed COX-2 inhibitors, synthesized 1,2-benzothiazine derivatives, were screened in vitro for selectivity of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition properties. Lead compounds in the structure-activity relationship were studied to synthesize new highly selective COX-2 inhibitors.13 determine inhibitory effect of COX-2, synthesized 1,2-benzothiazine derivatives were screened with accumulation of prostaglandin by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in aspirin-treated macrophages and murine macropharge cell. Some of synthesized 1,2-benzothiazine derivatives were shown to be effective as selective COX-2 inhibitory activity. Others exhibited a preferential inhibition of COX-2, although some COX-1 inhibitory activity was still present. As a conclusion, simple monomer derivatives were more active than dimer derivatives. Substitution of halogen (Br, C1) on the benzothiazine nucleus slightly enhanced inhibition activity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.372-379
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• 1999

A series of disubstituted 4,5-polymethylenepyrazoles were synthesized and evaluated their inhibitory activities against COX-2. Some compounds showed strong (0.3 nM) inhibitory activity on COX-2 and were found somewhat selective (up to 16) on COX-2 over COX-1.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2000

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase(COX), and thus prevention of the formation of prostaglandins, provided a unifying explanation of the therapeutic and toxic actions of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Recently, the discovery of the two isoforms of COX was made by molecular biologists studying neoplastic transformation in chick embryo cells. The constitutive enzyme, COX-1, is obviously responsible for the production of prostaglandins involved in housekeeping functions such as maintenance of integrity of the gastric mucosa, renal blood flow and platelet aggregation. The inducible form of COX (COX-2) is responsible for the formation of prostaglandins that pathologically affects inflammation, pain and fever. Clearly, all the experimental and clinical data support the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of NSAIDs are due to inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme, whereas the gastrotoxicity is due to inhibition of COX-1. The cox-2/COX-1 ratios of the NSAIDs in common use have been measured and compared with epidemiological data on their side effects. There is little evidence to suggest that one NSAID is clearly more effective than another, But substantial individual variability is present with respect to the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of these drugs: therefore it is essential to adjust the dosage and choose specific drug to the patient's response.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2006

Background: There is controversy regarding whether COX-2 specific inhibitors are associated with elevation of blood pressure. We compared the effects of aspirin, indomethacin, and celecoxib for vascular reactivity induced by phenylephrine. We also tested the effects of indomethacin and NO donor on COX-1 and COX-2 protein expression, as well as nitrite production in culture medium of vascular smooth muscle cells. Materials and Methods: In this experiment, we used the isometric tension study for vascular reactivity. After 45 minutes of pretreatment with aspirin, indomethacin, celecoxib, and phenylephrine induced contractions were tested. COX-1 and COX-2 protein expressions were analyzed by Western blot and nitrite production by the Griess reaction. Results: Although celecoxib pretreatment caused enhanced arterial contraction, aspirin pretreatment induced more potent arterial contraction than celecoxib in the isometric tension study of rabbit femoral artery. COX-1 protein expression was unchanged by indomethacin, SNP and NOR-3; COX-2 protein expression was increased by the addition of indomethacin, SNP, and NOR-3. Especially, NOR-3, a NO donor, significantly increased COX-2 protein expression with unstimulated conditions as well as LPS stimulation. Induction of nitrite production was higher with NOR-3 treatment than SNP treatment with LPS stimulation. Conclusion: These results suggest that aspirin caused more potent vascular contraction than celecoxib and indomethacin. COX-2 expression in VSMC depended on the types of NO donor and LPS stimulation.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2004

This study was conducted to determine expression of acyl-CoA synthetase 4(ACS4), which is involved in converts arachidonic acid to postaglandins, in the mouse uterus during pregnancy. In arachidonic acid metabolism, acyl-CoA synthetase plays a key role in the esterification of free arachidonic acid into membrane phospholipids. Following its release by the action of calcium dependent phospholipases, free arachidonic acid is believed to be rapidly converted to arachidonoyl-CoA and reesterified into phospholipids in order to prevent excessive synthesis of prostaglandins. Here we demonstrate that ACS4 gene are differentially regulated in the peri-implatation mouse uterus. During the preimplantation period(days 0.5∼3.5), the ACS4 gene was expressed in the uterus until day 3.5 after which the expression was downregulated. The expression of cPLA2, COX1, and COX2 gene was similar to that of ACS4 gene in the preimplantation periods. However expression levels of COX1 gene show much variation on the various days of pregnancy examined. These data, suggest that ACS4 expression in preimplantation period is involved in initial attachment reaction with cPLA2, COX1, and COX2 gene.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.364-367
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• 2011

Background: Prostaglandins (PGs) play pathogenic and protective roles in inflammatory diseases. The novel concept of PGs as immune modulators is being documented by several investigators. By establishing an in vitro experimental model containing human follicular dendritic cell-like cells, HK cells, we reported that HK cells produce prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) and prostaglandin $I_2$ ($PGI_2$) and that these PGs regulate biological functions of T and B cells. Methods: To investigate the respective contribution of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 to $PGE_2$ and $PGI_2$ production in HK cells, we performed siRNA technology to knock down COX enzymes and examined the effect on PG production. Results: Both $PGE_2$ and $PGI_2$ productions were almost completely inhibited by the depletion of COX-2. In contrast, COX-1 knockdown did not significantly affect PG production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Conclusion: The current results suggest that mPGES-1 and PGIS are coupled with COX-2 but not with COX-1 in human follicular dendritic cell (FDC) and may help understand the potential effects of selective COX inhibitors on the humoral immunity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1553-1558
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• 2015

Background: COX-2 has been shown to play an important role in the development of breast cancer and increased expression has been mooted as a poor prognostic factor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between COX-2 immunohistochemical expression and known predictive and prognostic factors in breast cancer in a routine diagnostic histopathology setting. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour tissue of 144 no special type (NST) invasive breast carcinomas histologically diagnosed between January 2009 and December 2012 in Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar, Kedah were immunostained with COX-2 antibody. COX-2 overexpression was analysed against demographic data, hormone receptor status, HER2-neu overexpression, histological grade, tumour size and lymph node status. Results: COX-2 was overexpressed in 108/144 (75%) tumours and was significantly more prevalent (87%) in hormone receptor-positive tumours. There was no correlation between COX-2 overexpression and HER2/neu status. Triple negative cancers had the lowest prevalence (46%) (p<0.05). A rising trend of COX-2 overexpression with increasing age was observed. There was a significant inverse relationship with tumour grade (p<0.05), prevalences being 94%, 83% and 66% in grades 1, 2 and 3 tumours, respectively. A higher prevalence of COX-2 overexpression in smaller size tumours was observed but this did not reach statistical significance. There was no relationship between COX-2 expression and lymph node status. Conclusions: This study did not support the generally held notion that COX-2 overexpression is linked to poor prognosis, rather supporting a role in tumorigenesis. Larger scale studies with outcome data and basic studies on cancer pathogenetic pathways will be required to cast further light on whether COX-2 inhibitors would have clinical utility in cancer prevention or blockage of cancer progression. In either setting, the pathological assessment for COX-2 overexpression in breast cancers would have an important role in the selection of cancer patients for personalized therapy with COX-2 inhibitors.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.333-344
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• 2008

The objectives of this study was to explore the growth pattern of the oral squamous cell carcinoma when overexpressed COX was inhibited, explore the pathway that COX inhibitors suppressed the proliferation of cancer cells, and then hereafter investigate the potential of COX as chemopreventive target for oral squamous cell carcinoma. For confirming the COX-dependent effect and mechanisms on growth of the oral cancer cells, we treated the nonselective NSAID, Mefenamic acid and COX-2 selective inhibitor, Celecoxib in HN4 cell line. And then the cell line was evaluated with MTT assay and growth curve, the production of PGE2, total RNA extraction and RT-PCR analysis, and TEM The results were obtained as follows: 1. After administration of medication, in the result of MTT assay, Celecoxib inoculated group inhibit the cell growth rather than Mefenamic acid inoculated group. 2. The growth curve of cell line showed as time passes by there was a dramatic cell growth in the control group, and gradual growth inhibition was found in medication inoculated group and, in Celecoxib inoculated group there was more inhibition of cell growth. 3. After the administration of medication, Celecoxib tend to inhibit the synthesis of PGE2 more than Mefenamic acid. Mefenamic acid inhibit the synthesis of PGE2 more as the concentration gets high, but Celecoxib inhibited the synthesis of PGE2 even in low concentration. 4. After the administration of medication, the revelation of COX mRNA in cell line, there was a 50% decrease in COX-1, 60% decrease in COX-2 as in $50{\mu}M$ Mefenamic acid, and in Celecoxib $50{\mu}M$ there was not much difference in COX-1 and 90% decrease in COX-2 was found. 5. HN4 cell line showed broken nucleus and tangled cytoskeleton bundles in cytoplasm which meant apoptotic features after the treatment of Celecoxib in TEM view. Depending on the above results, we estimate that the inhibition of the expression of COX-2 cause the growth suppression of the oral squamous cell carcinoma, and it get achieved through pathway of reduced PGE2 production and increased apoptosis. In addition to, because COX-2 selective inhibitor specifically act to COX-2, it is considered that COX-2 selective inhibitor has the adequate potential as chemopreventive agent for oral squamous cell carcinoma.