Cyclooxygenase
From Proteopedia
COX-1 and COX-2, also called PGHS-1 and PGHS-2, regulate a key step in prostaglandins and thromboxanes synthesis and are the targets of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) [1] [2] [3]. Prostaglandins are implicated in various pathophysiological processes such as inflammatory reaction, gastrointestinal cytoprotection, hemostasis and thrombosis, as well as renal hemodynamics [1] [3] [4]. Whereas COX-1 presents a widespread constitutive expression, COX-2 is undetectable in most normal tissues (except for the central nervous system, kidneys, and seminal vesicles), but is induced by various inflammatory and mitogenic stimuli [4] [3] [5]. More recently, a third isoform named COX-3 was identified as a COX-1 splicing variant. This new isoform may play a role in fever and pain processes [3] [2]. Additionally, a high level of COX-2 expression is found usually in cancer cells [3]. For example, COX-2 overexpression is related to poor-prognosis breast cancer [6] [7] and endometrial adenocarcinomas [8].
Contents |
Function
COX-2, unlike COX-1, is induced in inflammatory cells when they are activated by various inflammatory and mitogenic stimuli [5]. Its function is to produce the prostanoid mediators of the inflammation, although there are some significant exceptions. For example, there is a considerable pool of “constitutive” COX-2 present in the central nervous system (CNS) and some other tissues, although its function is not yet completely clear [3].
Moreover, COX-1, that is present in most tissues, has a “housekeeping” role in the body, being involved in tissue homeostasis, and is responsible for the production of prostaglandins involved in gastric cytoprotection, platelet aggregation, renal blood flow autoregulation and the initiation of parturition [3].
Structure [9] [4]
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Physiological Regulation
COX-2 overexpression is very important because it has significant tissue-specific consequences and is associated with inflammatory diseases, cancers and term/preterm labour, thus making COX-2 an important target for pharmacological intervention [5].
It is important to know that the expression of COX-2 in many specialized cell types appears to be differentially sensitive to the different stimuli that regulate the unique physiological activities of each tissue [4].
It is known that the physiological regulation can be produced at various levels [5]:
- Transcriptional regulation
- Post-transcriptional regulation: via 3’UTR, miRNAs (microRNAs) and alternative polyadenylation
Transcriptional regulation [5]
Transcriptional activation of COX-2 occurs quickly and transiently in response to different stimuli, for example: pathogens, cytokines, nitric oxide, irradiation, growth factors and various extracellular ligands.
The 5-UTR (untranslated region) of the COX-2 gene has several transcription factor response elements, including two NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) motifs, two AP-1 (activator protein 1) sites and two CREs (cAMP-response elements), among others [3]. Transcriptional regulation of COX-2 may also be physically influenced by chromatin remodelling events such as changes in acetylation status of histones and non-histone proteins. For example, the acetylation of NF-κB components by the transcriptional coativator p300 (histone acetyltransferase [HAT]) can activate the COX-2 expression [14], while the hypermethylation of the CpG islands results in transcriptional silencing [15]. It is also known that the histone deacetylase inhibitors (iHDAC) suppress the activation of the expression in human primary myometrtial cells [16] and in cancer cell lines [17], by preventing the binding of the transcription factor, c-Jun, to the COX-2 promoter [17].
Post-transcriptional regulation [1]
Via 3’-UTR
The 3’-UTR of COX-2 is a complex region that contains multiple copies of AREs (AU-rich elements) throughout sequence, which, when bound by specific trans-acting ARE-binding factors, influence COX-2 mRNA stability and also translational efficiency [7]. A lot of studies have introduced a new model to the gene regulation of COX-2 by investigating the combined contribution of both transcription and mRNA stability events. For example, one group has reported that the binding of the protein CUGBP2 (CUG triplet repeat, RNA-binding protein 2) in specific AREs within the first 60 nucleotides of the COX-2 3’-UTR can stabilize the COX-2 mRNA inhibiting its translation [8]. Also, there is evidence that mitogenic inhibitors (e.g. taxanes) can control COX-2 transcription via PKC (Protein Kinase C)-p38 MAPK (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase) signaling cascade and it is known that the stability of COX-2 mRNA can be controlled by the binding of HuR (a mRNA-stabilizing factor) to AREs in 3’-UTR of COX-2.
miRNAs (microRNAs)
A recent study has demonstrated that the microRNAs miR-101a and miRNA-199a can interact with the COX-2 3’-UTR in vitro repressing its translation [10].
Alternative polyadenylation
The human COX-2 3’-UTR has several polyadenylation sites. COX-2 uses two alternative polyadenylation sites, in a tissue-specific manner, which derives in the formation of 2 COX-2 mRNAs: one with 2.8 kb and another one with 4.6 kb [11]. It is known that selection of the proximal polyadenylation signal is enhanced by presence of additional USEs (Upstream Sequence Elements) where four RNA-binding proteins (U1A, PTB, p54nrb and PSF) can bind, enhancing the recruitment and stabilization of core adenylation factors on the COX-2 mRNA [12].
NSAIDs
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are a chemically heterogeneous group of compounds whose major function is the inhibition of cyclooxygenases (Table 1). Apart from their anti-inflammatory effect, they also present analgesic and antipyretic properties (Rang & Dale, 2008).
Pharmacologic group | Drug |
---|---|
Salicylates | Acetylsalicylic acid |
Propionic | Naproxen |
Ibuprofen | |
Para-aminophenols | Paracetamol |
Indolacetic | Indometacin |
Pirrolacetic | Ketorolac |
Phenilacetic | Diclofenac |
Piranoidacetic | Etodolac |
Anthranilic | Mefenamic acid |
Nicotinic | Clonixin |
Sulfonanilides | Nimesulide |
Classical NSAIDs, as salicylate or phenoprofen, are mostly inhibitors of both isoenzymes, although each isoform is inhibited in a different level (Table 2). Chronic users of NSAIDs develop gastric ulcers or gastrointestinal complications, explained by the inhibition of COX-1. For this reason, selective inhibitors of COX-2, as , valdecoxib and etoricoxib, have been developed (Ghosh et al., 2010, Rang & Dale, 2008). They don’t cause gastric pathology, but it has been proved to be responsible of nephrotoxicity in some patients.
Drug | Coefficient of selectivity (IC50Cox-1/IC50Cox-2) |
---|---|
Ketorolac | |
Naproxen | |
Ibuprofen | |
Indometacin | |
Acetylsalicylic acid | |
Diclofenac | |
Valdecoxib | |
Etoricoxib | |
|
The majority of NSAIDs inhibit competitively the initial dioxygenation (Rang & Dale, 2008; Ghosh et al., 2010). In general, these drugs block COX-1 in a quicker manner, whereas COX-2 inhibition is a more time-dependant event, and usually irreversible (Rang & Dale, 2008; Ghosh et al., 2010). The new COX-2 inhibitors exhibit PGHS-2 selectivity because they inhibit this isoform by a time-dependent, pseudoirreversible mechanism, whereas they inhibit PGHS-1 by a rapid, competitive, and reversible mechanism (Smith et al., 2000).
The inhibition mechanism consists of the entrance of the drug by the hydrophobic channel and the formation of hydrogen bonds with Arg120. This interaction prevents the fatty acids from entering the catalytic site. Selectivity of COX-2 inhibitors is mediated by the substitution of Ile523 in COX-1 with Val523 in COX-2, which results in the presence of a small side pocket adjacent to the active site channel, appreciably increasing the volume of the COX-2 active site (Rang & Dale, 2008; Ghosh et al., 2010; Smith et al., 2000). Acetylsalicylic acid makes its function by irreversible acetylation of COX-2 in Ser516 (Rang & Dale, 2008).
Last but not least, paracetamol, which do not interact neither with COX-1 nor with COX-2, may act as an analgesic and antipyretic drug by inhibition of COX-3 (Rang & Dale, 2008).
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Smith WL, Langenbach R. Why there are two cyclooxygenase isozymes. J Clin Invest. 2001 Jun;107(12):1491-5. PMID:11413152 doi:10.1172/JCI13271
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Chandrasekharan NV, Dai H, Roos KL, Evanson NK, Tomsik J, Elton TS, Simmons DL. COX-3, a cyclooxygenase-1 variant inhibited by acetaminophen and other analgesic/antipyretic drugs: cloning, structure, and expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Oct 15;99(21):13926-31. Epub 2002 Sep 19. PMID:12242329 doi:10.1073/pnas.162468699
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Ghosh N, Chaki R, Mandal V, Mandal SC. COX-2 as a target for cancer chemotherapy. Pharmacol Rep. 2010 Mar-Apr;62(2):233-44. PMID:20508278
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Smith WL, DeWitt DL, Garavito RM. Cyclooxygenases: structural, cellular, and molecular biology. Annu Rev Biochem. 2000;69:145-82. PMID:10966456 doi:10.1146/annurev.biochem.69.1.145
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM, Flower RJ. 2008. Pharmacology. Elsevier. 6th edition. 844 p.
- ↑ Barnes NL, Warnberg F, Farnie G, White D, Jiang W, Anderson E, Bundred NJ. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition: effects on tumour growth, cell cycling and lymphangiogenesis in a xenograft model of breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2007 Feb 26;96(4):575-82. Epub 2007 Feb 6. PMID:17285134 doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603593
- ↑ Boland GP, Butt IS, Prasad R, Knox WF, Bundred NJ. COX-2 expression is associated with an aggressive phenotype in ductal carcinoma in situ. Br J Cancer. 2004 Jan 26;90(2):423-9. PMID:14735188 doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601534
- ↑ Sales KJ, Grant V, Jabbour HN. Prostaglandin E2 and F2alpha activate the FP receptor and up-regulate cyclooxygenase-2 expression via the cyclic AMP response element. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008 Mar 26;285(1-2):51-61. Epub 2008 Feb 3. PMID:18316157 doi:10.1016/j.mce.2008.01.016
- ↑ Perrone G, Zagami M, Altomare V, Battista C, Morini S, Rabitti C. COX-2 localization within plasma membrane caveolae-like structures in human lobular intraepithelial neoplasia of the breast. Virchows Arch. 2007 Dec;451(6):1039-45. Epub 2007 Sep 13. PMID:17851687 doi:10.1007/s00428-007-0506-4
- ↑ Luong C, Miller A, Barnett J, Chow J, Ramesha C, Browner MF. Flexibility of the NSAID binding site in the structure of human cyclooxygenase-2. Nat Struct Biol. 1996 Nov;3(11):927-33. PMID:8901870
- ↑ Kurumbail RG, Stevens AM, Gierse JK, McDonald JJ, Stegeman RA, Pak JY, Gildehaus D, Miyashiro JM, Penning TD, Seibert K, Isakson PC, Stallings WC. Structural basis for selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by anti-inflammatory agents. Nature. 1996 Dec 19-26;384(6610):644-8. PMID:8967954 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/384644a0
- ↑ Spencer AG, Thuresson E, Otto JC, Song I, Smith T, DeWitt DL, Garavito RM, Smith WL. The membrane binding domains of prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthases 1 and 2. Peptide mapping and mutational analysis. J Biol Chem. 1999 Nov 12;274(46):32936-42. PMID:10551860
- ↑ Luong C, Miller A, Barnett J, Chow J, Ramesha C, Browner MF. Flexibility of the NSAID binding site in the structure of human cyclooxygenase-2. Nat Struct Biol. 1996 Nov;3(11):927-33. PMID:8901870
- ↑ Deng WG, Zhu Y, Wu KK. Up-regulation of p300 binding and p50 acetylation in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cyclooxygenase-2 promoter activation. J Biol Chem. 2003 Feb 14;278(7):4770-7. Epub 2002 Dec 5. PMID:12471036 doi:10.1074/jbc.M209286200
- ↑ Song SH, Jong HS, Choi HH, Inoue H, Tanabe T, Kim NK, Bang YJ. Transcriptional silencing of Cyclooxygenase-2 by hyper-methylation of the 5' CpG island in human gastric carcinoma cells. Cancer Res. 2001 Jun 1;61(11):4628-35. PMID:11389100
- ↑ Tyson-Capper AJ, Cork DM, Wesley E, Shiells EA, Loughney AD. Characterization of cellular retinoid-binding proteins in human myometrium during pregnancy. Mol Hum Reprod. 2006 Nov;12(11):695-701. Epub 2006 Sep 7. PMID:16959971 doi:10.1093/molehr/gal070
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Yamaguchi K, Lantowski A, Dannenberg AJ, Subbaramaiah K. Histone deacetylase inhibitors suppress the induction of c-Jun and its target genes including COX-2. J Biol Chem. 2005 Sep 23;280(38):32569-77. Epub 2005 Jul 1. PMID:15994313 doi:10.1074/jbc.M503201200
- Smith WL, Langenbach R. Why there are two cyclooxygenase isozymes. J Clin Invest. 2001 Jun;107(12):1491-5. PMID:11413152 doi:10.1172/JCI13271
- Chandrasekharan NV, Dai H, Roos KL, Evanson NK, Tomsik J, Elton TS, Simmons DL. COX-3, a cyclooxygenase-1 variant inhibited by acetaminophen and other analgesic/antipyretic drugs: cloning, structure, and expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Oct 15;99(21):13926-31. Epub 2002 Sep 19. PMID:12242329 doi:10.1073/pnas.162468699
- Ghosh N, Chaki R, Mandal V, Mandal SC. COX-2 as a target for cancer chemotherapy. Pharmacol Rep. 2010 Mar-Apr;62(2):233-44. PMID:20508278
- Smith WL, DeWitt DL, Garavito RM. Cyclooxygenases: structural, cellular, and molecular biology. Annu Rev Biochem. 2000;69:145-82. PMID:10966456 doi:10.1146/annurev.biochem.69.1.145
- Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM, Flower RJ. 2008. Pharmacology. Elsevier. 6th edition. 844 p.
- Barnes NL, Warnberg F, Farnie G, White D, Jiang W, Anderson E, Bundred NJ. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition: effects on tumour growth, cell cycling and lymphangiogenesis in a xenograft model of breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2007 Feb 26;96(4):575-82. Epub 2007 Feb 6. PMID:17285134 doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603593
- Boland GP, Butt IS, Prasad R, Knox WF, Bundred NJ. COX-2 expression is associated with an aggressive phenotype in ductal carcinoma in situ. Br J Cancer. 2004 Jan 26;90(2):423-9. PMID:14735188 doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601534
- Sales KJ, Grant V, Jabbour HN. Prostaglandin E2 and F2alpha activate the FP receptor and up-regulate cyclooxygenase-2 expression via the cyclic AMP response element. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008 Mar 26;285(1-2):51-61. Epub 2008 Feb 3. PMID:18316157 doi:10.1016/j.mce.2008.01.016
- Garavito RM, Mulichak AM. The structure of mammalian cyclooxygenases. Annu Rev Biophys Biomol Struct. 2003;32:183-206. Epub 2003 Feb 5. PMID:12574066 doi:10.1146/annurev.biophys.32.110601.141906
- Perrone G, Zagami M, Altomare V, Battista C, Morini S, Rabitti C. COX-2 localization within plasma membrane caveolae-like structures in human lobular intraepithelial neoplasia of the breast. Virchows Arch. 2007 Dec;451(6):1039-45. Epub 2007 Sep 13. PMID:17851687 doi:10.1007/s00428-007-0506-4
- Spencer AG, Thuresson E, Otto JC, Song I, Smith T, DeWitt DL, Garavito RM, Smith WL. The membrane binding domains of prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthases 1 and 2. Peptide mapping and mutational analysis. J Biol Chem. 1999 Nov 12;274(46):32936-42. PMID:10551860
- Luong C, Miller A, Barnett J, Chow J, Ramesha C, Browner MF. Flexibility of the NSAID binding site in the structure of human cyclooxygenase-2. Nat Struct Biol. 1996 Nov;3(11):927-33. PMID:8901870
- Kurumbail RG, Stevens AM, Gierse JK, McDonald JJ, Stegeman RA, Pak JY, Gildehaus D, Miyashiro JM, Penning TD, Seibert K, Isakson PC, Stallings WC. Structural basis for selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by anti-inflammatory agents. Nature. 1996 Dec 19-26;384(6610):644-8. PMID:8967954 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/384644a0
- Harper KA, Tyson-Capper AJ. Complexity of COX-2 gene regulation. Biochem Soc Trans. 2008 Jun;36(Pt 3):543-5. PMID:18482003 doi:10.1042/BST0360543
- Appleby SB, Ristimaki A, Neilson K, Narko K, Hla T. Structure of the human cyclo-oxygenase-2 gene. Biochem J. 1994 Sep 15;302 ( Pt 3):723-7. PMID:7945196
- Deng WG, Zhu Y, Wu KK. Up-regulation of p300 binding and p50 acetylation in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cyclooxygenase-2 promoter activation. J Biol Chem. 2003 Feb 14;278(7):4770-7. Epub 2002 Dec 5. PMID:12471036 doi:10.1074/jbc.M209286200
- Song SH, Jong HS, Choi HH, Inoue H, Tanabe T, Kim NK, Bang YJ. Transcriptional silencing of Cyclooxygenase-2 by hyper-methylation of the 5' CpG island in human gastric carcinoma cells. Cancer Res. 2001 Jun 1;61(11):4628-35. PMID:11389100
- Tyson-Capper AJ, Cork DM, Wesley E, Shiells EA, Loughney AD. Characterization of cellular retinoid-binding proteins in human myometrium during pregnancy. Mol Hum Reprod. 2006 Nov;12(11):695-701. Epub 2006 Sep 7. PMID:16959971 doi:10.1093/molehr/gal070
- Yamaguchi K, Lantowski A, Dannenberg AJ, Subbaramaiah K. Histone deacetylase inhibitors suppress the induction of c-Jun and its target genes including COX-2. J Biol Chem. 2005 Sep 23;280(38):32569-77. Epub 2005 Jul 1. PMID:15994313 doi:10.1074/jbc.M503201200
- Dixon DA, Kaplan CD, McIntyre TM, Zimmerman GA, Prescott SM. Post-transcriptional control of cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression. The role of the 3'-untranslated region. J Biol Chem. 2000 Apr 21;275(16):11750-7. PMID:10766797
- Mukhopadhyay D, Houchen CW, Kennedy S, Dieckgraefe BK, Anant S. Coupled mRNA stabilization and translational silencing of cyclooxygenase-2 by a novel RNA binding protein, CUGBP2. Mol Cell. 2003 Jan;11(1):113-26. PMID:12535526
- Subbaramaiah K, Marmo TP, Dixon DA, Dannenberg AJ. Regulation of cyclooxgenase-2 mRNA stability by taxanes: evidence for involvement of p38, MAPKAPK-2, and HuR. J Biol Chem. 2003 Sep 26;278(39):37637-47. Epub 2003 Jun 25. PMID:12826679 doi:10.1074/jbc.M301481200
- Chakrabarty A, Tranguch S, Daikoku T, Jensen K, Furneaux H, Dey SK. MicroRNA regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 during embryo implantation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Sep 18;104(38):15144-9. Epub 2007 Sep 11. PMID:17848513 doi:10.1073/pnas.0705917104
- Hall-Pogar T, Zhang H, Tian B, Lutz CS. Alternative polyadenylation of cyclooxygenase-2. Nucleic Acids Res. 2005 May 4;33(8):2565-79. Print 2005. PMID:15872218 doi:10.1093/nar/gki544
- Hall-Pogar T, Liang S, Hague LK, Lutz CS. Specific trans-acting proteins interact with auxiliary RNA polyadenylation elements in the COX-2 3'-UTR. RNA. 2007 Jul;13(7):1103-15. Epub 2007 May 16. PMID:17507659 doi:10.1261/rna.577707
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