Cyclooxygenase-2 level and culture conditions influence NS398-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in lung cancer cells

  • Authors:
    • Hui-Chiu Chang
    • Ching-Feng Weng
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 1, 2001     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.8.6.1321
  • Pages: 1321-1325
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Abstract

Cyclooxygenases (COXs) catalyze the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid. Overexpression of COX-2 is frequently found in human cancers and is suggested to play an important role in tumorigenesis. Recent studies indicated that COX-2 inhibitors exert potent anti-cancer effects on a number of cancers. Interestingly, some COX-2 inhibitors potently induce apoptosis, while other COX-2 inhibitors primarily induce growth inhibition. Therefore, there is a variability in the effects that different COX-2 inhibitors have on cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated that induction of apoptosis of high COX-2-expressing A549 lung cancer cells by a specific COX-2 inhibitor NS398 was observed in cells cultured under serum-free condition. However, this drug induced G1 growth arrest rather than apoptosis in A549 cells maintained in 10% serum medium. Conversely, low COX-2-expressing H226 lung cancer cells were resistant to NS398-induced apoptosis under both serum-free and serum-containing conditions. Moreover, our results showed that NS398-induced apoptosis is associated with activation of caspase-3, a cysteine protease that plays a crucial role in the execution phase of apoptosis. These results suggest that the cytotoxic effect of COX-2 inhibitors on cancer cells may be influenced by extracellular environments and the anti-cancer action of these inhibitors in vivo needs careful evaluation. Additionally, a correlation between the level of COX-2 expression and the extent of apoptosis induced by COX-2 inhibitors was found.

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November-December 2001
Volume 8 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

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Spandidos Publications style
Chang H and Weng C: Cyclooxygenase-2 level and culture conditions influence NS398-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in lung cancer cells. Oncol Rep 8: 1321-1325, 2001.
APA
Chang, H., & Weng, C. (2001). Cyclooxygenase-2 level and culture conditions influence NS398-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in lung cancer cells. Oncology Reports, 8, 1321-1325. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.8.6.1321
MLA
Chang, H., Weng, C."Cyclooxygenase-2 level and culture conditions influence NS398-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in lung cancer cells". Oncology Reports 8.6 (2001): 1321-1325.
Chicago
Chang, H., Weng, C."Cyclooxygenase-2 level and culture conditions influence NS398-induced apoptosis and caspase activation in lung cancer cells". Oncology Reports 8, no. 6 (2001): 1321-1325. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.8.6.1321