1. Up-Regulation of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Expression by Temozolomide (TMZ) in Human Glioblastoma (GBM) Cell Lines.
- Author
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Lombardi F, Augello FR, Artone S, Gugu MK, Cifone MG, Cinque B, and Palumbo P
- Subjects
- Brain Neoplasms drug therapy, Brain Neoplasms genetics, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Proliferation drug effects, Cell Survival drug effects, DNA Modification Methylases genetics, DNA Modification Methylases metabolism, DNA Repair Enzymes genetics, DNA Repair Enzymes metabolism, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm drug effects, Drug Synergism, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic drug effects, Glioblastoma drug therapy, Glioblastoma genetics, Humans, Tumor Suppressor Proteins genetics, Tumor Suppressor Proteins metabolism, Up-Regulation drug effects, beta Catenin genetics, beta Catenin metabolism, Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating pharmacology, Brain Neoplasms metabolism, Cyclooxygenase 2 genetics, Cyclooxygenase 2 metabolism, Glioblastoma metabolism, Nitrobenzenes pharmacology, Sulfonamides pharmacology, Temozolomide pharmacology
- Abstract
TMZ-resistance remains a main limitation in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. TMZ is an alkylating agent whose cytotoxicity is modulated by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), whose expression is determined by MGMT gene promoter methylation status. The inflammatory marker COX-2 has been implicated in GBM tumorigenesis, progression, and stemness. COX-2 inhibitors are considered a GBM add-on treatment due to their ability to increase TMZ-sensitivity. We investigated the effect of TMZ on COX-2 expression in GBM cell lines showing different COX-2 levels and TMZ sensitivity (T98G and U251MG). β-catenin, MGMT, and SOX-2 expression was analyzed. The effects of NS398, COX-2 inhibitor, alone or TMZ-combined, were studied evaluating cell proliferation by the IncuCyte
® system, cell cycle/apoptosis, and clonogenic potential. COX-2, β-catenin, MGMT, and SOX-2 expression was evaluated by RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence and PGE2 by ELISA. Our findings, sustaining the role of COX-2/PGE2 system in TMZ-resistance of GBM, show, for the first time, a relevant, dose-dependent up-regulation of COX-2 expression and activity in TMZ-treated T98G that, in turn, correlated with chemoresistance. Similarly, all the COX-2-dependent signaling pathways involved in TMZ-resistance also resulted in being up-modulated after treatment with TMZ. NS398+TMZ was able to reduce cell proliferation and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, NS398+TMZ counteracted the resistance in T98G preventing the TMZ-induced COX-2, β-catenin, MGMT, and SOX-2 up-regulation.- Published
- 2022
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