Cyclooxygenase-1 promotes angiogenic growth factor production.(ovarian cancer)

2003 MAY 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine researchers report that cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) is overexpressed and promotes production of angiogenic growth factors in ovarian cancer.

"Inhibition of cyclooygenase-2 (COX-2) catalytic activity has proven successful in restricting the growth of epithelial-derived cancers in vivo. Whether COX-2 inhibitor therapy would be beneficial in the prevention and/or treatment of ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide, is not known," said R.A. Gupta and colleagues.

For their study, specimens were selected from women who hadn't undergone cytoreductive therapy "because many of the cytotoxic drugs used to treat ovarian cancer induce COX-2 expression," the researchers explained.

COX isoform expression analysis revealed, interestingly, higher COX-1 mRNA levels than in normal ovarian tissue - not COX-2, Gupta's group found. Protein levels were higher as well.

"Focal regions within the tumor expressing high COX-1 also had elevated levels of pro-angiogenic proteins. Selective inhibition of COX-1, not COX-2, inhibited arachidonic acid-stimulated vascular endothelial growth factor production, which could be reversed by cotreatment with prostaglandin E2," the researchers reported.