Coordinated Increased Expression of Cyclooxygenase2 and Nuclear Factor B Is a Steady Feature of Urinary Bladder Carcinogenesis

• Published in: Advances in urology 2010, Vol.2010, p.1-8
• Main Authors: Kontos, Stylianos, Sotiropoulou-Bonikou, Georgia, Kominea, Athina, Melachrinou, Maria, Balampani, Eleni, Bonikos, Dionysis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1687-6369; 1687-6377
• DOI: 10.1155/2010/871356

Objectives . The inescapable relationship between chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis has long been established. Our objective was to investigate COX-2 and NF-B immunohistochemical expression in a large series of normal epithelium and bladder carcinomas. Methods . Immunohistochemical methodology was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from urinary bladder carcinomas of 140 patients (94 males and 46 females with bladder carcinomas). Results . COX-2 expression is increased in the cytoplasm of bladder cells, during loss of cell differentiation (, ) and in muscle invasive carcinomas (). A strong positive association between tumor grade and nuclear expression of NFB has been established. A positive correlation between COX-2 and nuclear NFB immunoreactivity was observed. Conclusions . The possible coordinated upregulation of NFB and COX-2, during bladder carcinogenesis, indicates that agents inhibitors of these two molecules may represent a possible new treatment strategy, by virtue of their role in bladder carcinogenesis.