Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression Is Related to Prostaglandin Biosynthesis and Angiogenesis in Human Gastric Cancer

Although recent studies have demonstrated that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is overexpressed in various cancers including gastric cancer, the mechanisms underlying the contribution of COX-2 to tumorigenesis and tumor promotion still remain unclear. To determine the role of COX-2, we investigated the COX-2...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical cancer research 2000-01, Vol.6 (1), p.135-138
Main Authors: UEFUJI, K, ICHIKURA, T, MOCHIZUKI, H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adenocarcinoma - blood supply
Adenocarcinoma - enzymology
Adenocarcinoma - pathology
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis
Cyclooxygenase 2
Dinoprostone - biosynthesis
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Isoenzymes - analysis
Isoenzymes - metabolism
Lymphatic Metastasis
Medical sciences
Membrane Proteins
Microcirculation - pathology
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Invasiveness
Neoplasm Staging
Neovascularization, Pathologic
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - analysis
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - metabolism
Stomach Neoplasms - blood supply
Stomach Neoplasms - enzymology
Stomach Neoplasms - pathology
Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus
Tumors
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Summary:Although recent studies have demonstrated that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is overexpressed in various cancers including gastric cancer, the mechanisms underlying the contribution of COX-2 to tumorigenesis and tumor promotion still remain unclear. To determine the role of COX-2, we investigated the COX-2 expression, the prostaglandin (PG) levels, and the microvessel density in 42 patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma. COX-2 protein was overexpressed in 31 (74%) of 42 gastric cancers based on an immunoblot analysis. The intensity of COX-2 expression was found to significantly correlate with lymph node involvement. The COX-2 overexpressed cases showed significantly elevated levels of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in cancer tissues in comparison with the normal gastric mucosa by an immunoassay (201 ± 90 versus 161 ± 57 ng/mg protein; P < 0.05). However, the COX-2 overexpression was not related to the levels of thromboxane B 2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α . The density of microvessel immunostained with CD34 was significantly higher in patients demonstrating COX-2 overexpression than in those without such expression (63 ± 21 versus 45 ± 17/200 ×; P < 0.01). Our data thus suggested COX-2 overexpression to be associated with increased PGE 2 biosynthesis and angiogenesis in gastric cancer, which indicates that COX-2 may play a role in the development of gastric cancer.
ISSN:1078-0432
1557-3265