Expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C in cholangiocarcinomas at different clinical and pathological stages

• Published in: Genetics and molecular research 2015-01, Vol.14 (2), p.6239-6246
• Main Authors: You, Z, Bei, L, Cheng, L P, Cheng, N S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cholangiocarcinoma - drug therapy; Cholangiocarcinoma - genetics; Cholangiocarcinoma - pathology; Cholangiocarcinoma - surgery; Cyclooxygenase 2 - biosynthesis; Cyclooxygenase 2 - genetics; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic - drug effects; Humans; Neoplasm Staging; Neovascularization, Pathologic - drug therapy; Neovascularization, Pathologic - genetics; Neovascularization, Pathologic - pathology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C - biosynthesis; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C - genetics
• ISSN: 1676-5680; 1676-5680
• DOI: 10.4238/2015.June.9.9

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical significance of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and vascular en-dothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in cholangiocarcinomas at differ-ent clinical and pathological stages. Eighty cholangiocarcinoma sam-ples of patients treated with surgery between January 2012 and January 2014 were collected. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect COX-2 and VEGF-C expression at different clinical and pathological stages. ELISA, real-time PCR, invasive chambers, and MTT assay were ap-plied in cultured cholangiocarcinoma cells treated with a COX-2 inhib-itor. Expression of COX-2 and VEGF-C correlated positively with the clinical TNM stage but did not correlate with the differentiation status. Inhibition of COX-2 activity reduced VEGF-C mRNA expression and secretion in cholangiocarcinoma cells and decreased their migration but not proliferation. Because of its ability to inhibit invasion, COX-2 could be a new target for treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.