• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.65-73
• /
• 2010

Objectives : Recently, Pharmacopuncture therapy has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Especially, we have been interested in chemical mediators concerned with inflammation such as prostaglandin, nitric oxide. The purpose of this study is investigated that the effect of Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages, performed several experimental items : those are Prostaglandin $E_2$, Nitric Oxide and Cyclooxygenase-2. Methods : The cytotoxicity of Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages were measured by MTT assay. In order to observe cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, RT-PCR was used. Prostaglandin $E_2$ production and Nitric Oxide production was measured by nitric oxide detection kit and Prostaglandin $E_2$ assay kit. Results : 1. The MTT assay demonstrated that cytotoxic effect of Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution in RAW 264.7 macrophages was not appeared. 2. Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 3. Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. 4. Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution inhibited Prostaglandin $E_2$ production in lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Conclusions : On the basis of these results, It was shown that Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution was able to inhibit the production of $PGE_2$ and NO, as well as COX-2 mRNA expression. Our results may provide new mechanism by which Ampelopsis Radix Pharmacopuncture solution accounts for its beneficial effect on accelerating wound healing and anti-inflammation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.3507-3511
• /
• 2014

Background: The prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 [PTGS2, commonly known as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)] is an enzyme induced by proinflammatory stimuli that is often overexpressed in malignant tissue and involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, regulators of processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis, all relevant for cancer development. We investigated whether a functional genetic polymorphism, rs5277, in COX-2 may have a risk-modifying effect on sporadic colorectal cancer in an Iranian population. Materials and Methods: We conducted a case-control study on 167 patients with colorectal cancer and 197 cancer-free controls in Taleghani Hospital in Tehran, Iran, between 2007 and 2011. Peripheral blood samples of both groups were processed for DNA extraction and genotyping of the COX-2 gene polymorphism (rs5277) using PCR-RFLP. RFLP results were confirmed by direct sequencing. Logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: There was no significant difference in the distribution of COX-2 gene rs5277 polymorphism genotype and the allelic form, among CRC patients compared with the healthy control group (p: 0.867). Conclusions: Our results suggest that rs5277 polymorphism in COX2 could not be a good prognostic indicator for patients with CRC.

• 대한약리학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2006.11a
• /
• pp.43-43
• /
• 2006

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2002.04a
• /
• pp.99.3-100
• /
• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Nutrition Society Conference
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.47-47
• /
• 2001

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2000.10a
• /
• pp.192.2-192.2
• /
• 2000

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.315-318
• /
• 2012

Objective: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been claimed to play role in carcinogenesis and be related to a bad prognosis in tumours. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between COX-2 expression and clinical and pathological parameters in early and advanced stage lung cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 73 patients with lung cancer (27 adenocarcinomas, 33 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 large cell carcinomas and 9 small cell cancer) were analysed retrospectively. COX-2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in resection materials or lung biopsies. Tumor cells demonstrating more intense staining than smooth muscle and endothelial cells were recorded as COX-2 positive. We investigated the correlation between increased COX-2 expression and histological type of the tumor, the stage of the disease and survival. Results: COX-2 expression was observed in 55% of the adenocarcinomas, 45% of the squamous cell carcinomas and 22% of the small cell carcinomas. No correlation was apparent between COX-2 expression and disease stage, histological type and the survival. Conclusion: The results of this study do not support COX-2 expression as an independent prognostic factor in lung cancer. However, since results of the literature are different, further studies made in larger series are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.161-165
• /
• 2006

NO and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are contributes to vascular inflammation induced by various stimulation. The mechanism, which explains a linkage between NO and COX-2, could be of importance in promoting pathophysiological conditions of vessel. We investigated the effects of NO donors on the COX-l and COX-2 mRNA/protein expression, as well as the nitrite production in culture medium of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC). VSMC was primarily cultured from thoracic aorta of rat. In this experiments, COX-l and COX-2 mRNA/protein expressions were analysed and nitrite productions were investigated using Griess reagent. VSMC did not express COX-2 protein in basal condition (Nonlipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated). In LPS-stimulated experiments, after 3 hours of NO donor pretreatment, LPS $10{\mu}g/ml$ was treated for 24 hours. COX-l protein expressions were unchanged by SNP and NOR-3. NOR-3 significantly increased COX-2 mRNA/protein expression under LPS stimulation. In contrast, SNP did not increase COX-2 mRNA/protein expression under LPS stimulation. Nitrite production was higher in NOR-3 treatment than SNP treatment under LPS stimulation. These results suggest that the expression of COX-2 in VSMC is regulated by NOR-3, COX-2 expressions were depending on the types of NO donor and LPS stimulation in VSMC.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.229-238
• /
• 2012

Cyclooxygenase(COX-2) is an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid. Over-expression of COX-2 has been reported to be associated with progressive hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatic C infection and rat liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$). Recently, it is well known that mast cell products can stimulate the proliferation of hepatic stellate cells and key players in liver fibrosis. But little is known regarding their role in $CCl_4$-induced liver fibrosis in rat. Our aim was to investigate the relation between COX-2 expression and mast cells during liver fibrosis after $CCl_4$ treatment. Thirty Wistar rats were divided into five groups (non-treated 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8-week after $CCl_4$-treatment). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the expression of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA), collagen-1 and COX-2 in liver tissue from $CCl_4$-treated rats. The density of collagen and mast cells were determined using a computerized image analysis system in liver sections stained with picrosirius red and toluidine blue, respectively. The expression levels of ${\alpha}$-SMA, collagen-1 and COX-2 mRNA were significantly higher at 2 wk in $CCl_4$-treated groups than non-treated group. The number of mast cells in liver tissues increased gradually from 2 wk to 6 wk depending on the fibrosis severity but decreased abruptly at 8 wk. The significant increase of collagen-1 and ${\alpha}$-SMA mRNA expression in $CCl_4$-treated rats was continued until 6 wk while the COX-2 mRNA was significantly decreased at 8 wk. These results suggest that increased mast cells are closely associated with COX-2 over-expression during hepatic fibrogenesis of $CCl_4$-treated rats.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.19-30
• /
• 2013

Megalocytivirus is a major fish pathogen in marine aquaculture of Asian countries including Korea. Despite of many species affected by this pathogen, little is known interaction between megalocytivirus and the fish immune system. One of the cyclooxygenase isoforms, named COX-2, is playing an important role in immune regulation, and distinct from COX-1 isoform of constitutive activity. COX-2 enzyme is induced by various inflammatory signals, including injection of lipopolysaccharide or infection by pathogenic agents. We cloned COX-2 gene in rock bream using degenerated primers designed from reported sequences of other fish species in PCR followed with 5'- and 3'-end RACE-PCR. The full length of cDNA of rbCOX2 (rock bream COX-2) gene are 2655 bp and that translates into 609 amino acids. The rbCOX-2 genomic organization are found to span 10 exons separated by 9 introns. We also studied if the experimental infection of rock bream with megalocytivirus could affect the expression of COX-2 gene. When injected with LPS, expression of the COX-2 gene was reached peak level at 1 day post injection and showed 13.10 fold increased level compared with that of control. While, when injected with megalocytivirus, we were not able to find significantly increased COX-2 gene expression different from that of control. Cloned and analyzed COX-2 gene in rock bream will help to understand defence mechanisms in fish after viral infection and will also support the development of the measures for treatment and prevention of viral infection.