Methanolic extract of adlay seed suppresses COX-2 expression of human lung cancer cells via inhibition of gene transcription.

Previous results demonstrated that the methanolic extract of adlay seed exerted an antiproliferative effect on human lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and might prevent tobacco carcinogen-induced lung tumorigenesis. In this study, the methanolic extract of adlay seed was tested for its regulation of COX-2 expression of human lung cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that the methanolic extract of adlay seed inhibited basal and TPA-induced COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas COX-1 expression was not affected. By using a promoter activity assay, it was found that the methanolic extract inhibited basal and TPA-stimulated COX-2 expression at the transcription level. The effect of the methanolic extract on COX-2 expression in vivo was then investigated. The data demonstrated that treatment of the methanolic extract reduced the PGE(2) level in serum and inhibited COX-2 expression of tumor tissues in nude mice. Taken together, these results suggest that inhibition of COX-2 is one of the mechanisms by which the methanolic extract of adlay seed inhibits cancer growth and prevents lung tumorigenesis.