Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0282612 (PIN)
 2,291 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is the inducible isozyme of COX, a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins and other eicosanoids. COX-2 is highly expressed in a number of human cancers and cancer cell lines, including prostate cancer. We studied the immunohistochemical expression of COX-2 in the human prostate gland. The enzyme is strongly expressed in smooth muscle cells of both the normal and cancerous prostate. Its expression in noncancerous epithelial cells is limited to the basal cell layer. In prostatic inflammation, luminal epithelial cells surrounded by lymphocytes are induced to express the enzyme. COX-2 is expressed in the epithelial cells of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer. We have demonstrated that treatment of human prostate-cancer cell lines with a selective COX-2 inhibitor induces apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo results also indicate that the COX-2 inhibitor decreases tumor microvessel density and angiogenesis. COX-2 inhibitors can prevent the hypoxic upregulation of a potent angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor. These results indicate that COX-2 inhibitors may, therefore, serve as effective chemopreventive and therapeutic agents in cancer of the prostate.
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PMID:The role of cyclooxygenase-2 in prostate cancer. 1150 67

Epidemiological studies provided the first evidence that COX may be involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. In the process of carcinogenesis and in the route of intracellular signalling during carcinogenesis, COX-2 expression may be a universal phenomenon. In general, COX-2 is up-regulated throughout the tumorigenic process, from early hyperplasia to metastatic disease. COX-2 has been reported to be constitutively overexpressed in a variety of malignancies and is frequently constitutively elevated in prostate carcinoma. COX-2 was consistently overexpressed in premalignant lesions such as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and carcinoma. Cases are described with evolution of proliferative inflammatory atrophy of the prostate and prostate carcinoma. The increase of evidence implicating COX-2 in cancer has stimulated clinical trials to investigate the efficacy of selective COX-2 inhibitors in individuals at risk for human cancer. Regarding prostate carcinoma there is much direct or indirect evidence to support the use of COX-2 inhibitors in this disease. Trials using these drugs in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and other patients with a high risk of colorectal carcinoma are ongoing.
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PMID:Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2): a molecular target in prostate cancer. 1805 24