Shoji Tuyoshi, Konno Hiroyuki, Tanaka Tatsuo, Sakaguchi Takanori, Sunayama Kenichi, Baba Megumi, Kamiya Kinji, Ohta Manabu, Kaneko Takeshi, Igarashi Akira, Nakamura Satoshi
Department of Surgery II, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handa-yama, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka, 431-3192, Japan.
Cancer Lett. 2003 Jun 10;195(2):235-41. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3835(02)00108-8.
The aim of the present study is to investigate the relation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 with liver metastasis. Pieces of human colon cancer xenograft were implanted orthotopically (CI), as well as intraperitoneally, and subcutaneously. Liver metastasis developed most frequently, and the COX-2 expression of both mRNA and protein of the tumors was the most dominant in the CI group. In contrast, the expression of COX-1 or vascular endothelial cell growth factor mRNAs had no significant differences among the groups. The intensity of COX-2 mRNA was negatively correlated with the apoptotic index. In conclusion, COX-2 plays an important role in organ-specific metastasis of the colon cancer.
