Determination of cyclooxygenase and arachidonic acid metabolites in invasive human prostate cancer cells.

Abstract

Cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolizes arachidonic acid (AA) to many biologically active eicosanoids such as prostaglandins (PGs), prostacyclins and thromboxane. Two forms of COX have been identified, a constitutive COX-1 and an inducible COX-2. COX-1 and COX-2 are expressed from different gene (1) and utilize different pools of AA. COX-1 is involved in cell-cell signaling and maintaining tissue homeostasis. COX-2 is expressed in only certain cell types (2-3) and regulated by specific stimuli such as growth factors, tumor promoters and cytokines. It is hypothesized that COX-2 is responsible for the synthesis of prostanoids involved in pain, inflammation and mitogenesis (4-5). There is strong evidence that COX-2 and AA metabolites have important roles in the development, growth and invasiveness of many types of cancer. COX-2 expression increases PGE2production and metastatic potential of human breast cancer cell lines (6). PGF2awas found to enhance the invasiveness of mouse melanoma and human fibrosarcoma (7).