Hypoxia induces myocyte-dependent COX-2 regulation in endothelial cells: role of VEGF

There is increasing evidence that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 possess both angiogenic and cardioprotective properties. We examined the effects of hypoxic cardiac myocytes (H9c2 cells) on COX-2 expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to determine the pathway involved in COX-2 regulation. The medium from hypoxic ( cyclooxygenase-2; vascular endothelial growth factor; cardiac myocytes