gastrins and rofecoxib

Curcumin, a pleiotropic substance used for centuries in traditional medicine, exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative efficacy against various tumours, but the role of curcumin in gastroprotection is little studied. We determined the effect of curcumin against gastric haemorrhagic lesions induced by 75% ethanol and alterations in gastric blood flow (GBF) in rats with cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 activity inhibited by indomethacin, SC-560 or rofecoxib, inhibited NO-synthase activity, capsaicin denervation and blockade of TRPV1 receptors by capsazepine.. One hour after ethanol administration, the gastric mucosal lesions were assessed by planimetry, the GBF was examined by H. Curcumin, in a dose-dependent manner, reduced ethanol-induced gastric lesions and significantly increased GBF and plasma gastrin levels. Curcumin-induced protection was completely reversed by indomethacin and SC-560, and significantly attenuated by rofecoxib, L-NNA, capsaicin denervation and capsazepine. Curcumin downregulated Cdx-2 and Hif-1α mRNA expression and upregulated HO-1 and SOD 2, and these effects were reversed by L-NNA and further restored by co-treatment of L-NNA with L-arginine.. Curcumin-induced protection against ethanol damage involves endogenous PG, NO, gastrin and CGRP released from sensory nerves due to activation of the vanilloid TRPV1 receptor. This protective effect can be attributed to the inhibition of HIF-1α and Cdx-2 expression and the activation of HO-1 and SOD 2 expression.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Capsaicin; CDX2 Transcription Factor; Curcumin; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Denervation; Down-Regulation; Ethanol; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Gene Expression; Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; Indomethacin; Lactones; Male; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Prostaglandins; Pyrazoles; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Regional Blood Flow; RNA, Messenger; Stomach Diseases; Sulfones; Superoxide Dismutase; TRPV Cation Channels; Up-Regulation

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and certain growth hormones, such as gastrin, have been related to gastric carcinogenesis, but little is known about the factors that enhance this COX-2 expression and whether specific blockade of this enzyme has any influence on tumor growth and progression. Our objective was to determine the influence of a specific COX-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib (Vioxx), on serum and tumor levels of gastrin and its precursor, progastrin, as well as on tumor gene expression of COX-2, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), and apoptosis-related proteins (Bax and Bcl-2, caspase-3, and survivin). Twenty-four gastric cancer (GC) patients entered this study and were examined twice, once before and then following a 14-day treatment with Vioxx at a dose of 25 mg twice daily. For comparison, 48 age- and sex-matched healthy controls and 24 similarly matched Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-positive subjects were enrolled and treated with Vioxx as GC patients. Serum levels of anti-Hp and anti-CagA antibodies as well as IL-8 and TNF-alpha were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while serum and tumor contents of progastrin and amidated gastrin were determined by specific RIA. Tumor gene and protein expressions of COX-2, PPARgamma, Bax and Bcl-2, caspase-3, and survivin were determined by RT-PCR and western blot. The overall Hp and CagA seropositivity in 24 GC patients was significantly higher (82% and 47%) than in 48 controls (61% and 22%) but not in 24 Hp-infected subjects (100% and 38%). Serum IL-8 and TNF-alpha values were significantly higher in GC patients than in controls without GC or Hp-infected controls. Median serum progastrin and gastrin levels were found to be significantly higher in GC than in controls without GC and in Hp-positive subjects. Treatment of GC patients with Vioxx resulted in a significant decrease in plasma and tumor contents of both progastrin and gastrin, and this was accompanied by the increment in tumor expression of COX-2, PPARy, Bax, and caspase-3 with a concomitant reduction in Bcl-2 and survivin expression. We conclude that: (1) GC patients show significantly higher Hp and CagA seropositivity than age- and sex-matched controls, but not Hp-positive subjects, indicating that infection with cytotoxic Hp is linked to GC. (2) Serum progastrin and gastrin levels are significantly higher in GC patients than in matched controls, confirming that both gastrins may be implicated in gastric car

Topics: Aged; Apoptosis; Case-Control Studies; Caspase 3; Caspases; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Cytokines; Female; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Incidence; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; Isoenzymes; Lactones; Male; Membrane Proteins; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Protein Precursors; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; RNA, Messenger; Stomach Neoplasms; Sulfones; Survivin; Transcription Factors

Prostaglandins (PG) derived from COX-1 are essential for the maintenance of mucosal integrity but COX-2 isoform synthesizes PG at a site of inflammation. Recently, COX-2 mRNA expression was demonstrated at the ulcer edge during healing of chronic gastric ulcers but the role for expression of COX-2 and its products such as PGE(2) and cytokines including interleukin (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in ulcer healing remains unknown. In this study, Wistar rats with gastric ulcers produced by serosal application of acetic acid (ulcer area 28 mm(2)) received daily treatment either with: (1) vehicle (saline); (2) NS-398 (10 mg/kg-d i.g.) and Vioxx (5 mg/kg-d i.g.), both, highly specific COX-2 inhibitors; (3) meloxicam (5 mg/kg-d i.g.), a preferential inhibitor of COX-2; (4) resveratrol (10 mg/kg-d i.g.), a specific COX-1 inhibitor; (5) indomethacin (5 mg/kg-d i.g); and (6) aspirin (ASA; 50 mg/kg-d i.g.), non-selective inhibitors of both COX-1 and COX-2. At day 3, 7, and 14 after ulcer induction, the animals were sacrificed and the area of gastric ulcers was determined by planimetry and histology, gastric blood flow (GBF) at ulcer base and margin was measured by H(2) clearance technique, and blood was withdrawn for measurement of plasma IL-1beta and TNFalpha levels. The mucosal biopsy samples were taken for the determination of PGE(2) generation by RIA and expression of COX-1, COX-2, IL-1beta, and TNFalpha mRNA by RT-PCR. In vehicle-treated rats, gastric ulcers healed progressively and at day 14 the healing was completed, accompanied by a significant rise in the GBF at ulcer margin. The IL-1beta, TNFalpha, and COX-1 mRNA were detected in intact and ulcerated gastric mucosa, whereas COX-2 mRNA were upregulated only in ulcerated mucosa with peak observed at day 3 after ulcer induction. The plasma IL-1beta level was significantly increased at day 3 and 7 but then declined at day 14 to that measured in vehicle-controls. Indomethacin and ASA, which suppressed PGE(2) generation both in the non-ulcerated and ulcerated gastric mucosa, significantly delayed the rate of ulcer healing and this was accompanied by the fall in GBF at ulcer margin and further elevation of plasma IL-1beta and TNFalpha levels, which was sustained up to the end of the study. Treatment with NS-398 and Vioxx, which caused only a moderate decrease in the PGE(2) generation in the non-ulcerated gastric mucosa, delayed ulcer healing and attenuated significantly the GBF at ulcer marg

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Aspirin; Chronic Disease; Cyclooxygenase 1; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dinoprostone; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Indomethacin; Interleukin-1; Isoenzymes; Lactones; Male; Meloxicam; Membrane Proteins; Nitrobenzenes; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Radioimmunoassay; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Resveratrol; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Stilbenes; Stomach Ulcer; Sulfonamides; Sulfones; Thiazines; Thiazoles; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Ulcer healing involves expression of various growth factors including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) at the ulcer margin and the rise in plasma gastrin but the effects of locally applied HGF and gastrin, which are known to act as trophic factors for the gastric mucosa, with or without neutralizing antibodies against HGF and gastrin or COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors on ulcer healing and the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 during this healing have been little studied. Rats with gastric ulcers induced by serosal application of acetic acid (ulcer area 28 mm2) received a submucosal injection of either: 1)vehicle (saline), 2) HGF and 3) gastrin with or without neutralizing antibodies against HGF and gastrin or treatment with indomethacin (2 mg/kg-d i.p.), a non-specific inhibitor of COX, or NS-398 (5 mg/kg-d i.g.) and Vioxx (10 mg/kg-d i.g.), both highly specific COX-2 inhibitors. Each growth factor and specific antibodies against HGF and gastrin (100 ng/100 microl each) were injected just around the ulcer immediately after ulcer induction and this local application was repeated at day 2 following anesthesia and laparotomy. At day 13 and 21, the area of ulcers was determined by planimetry, the gastric blood flow (GBF) at ulcer margin was examined by H2-gas clearance technique and mucosal generation of PGE2 and the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 mRNA in the non-ulcerated and ulcerated gastric mucosa was analyzed using RT-PCR. The gastric ulcers healed progressively within 21 days and this effect was accompanied by significant increase in the GBF at the ulcer margin and expression of COX-2 mRNA and COX-2 protein at the ulcer area. Treatment with HGF and gastrin significantly accelerated the rate of ulcer healing and raised GBF at ulcer margin causing further significant upregulation of COX-2 mRNA and COX-2 protein (but not of COX-1 mRNA ) in the ulcerated mucosa. The upregulation of COX-2 mRNA induced by HGF was significantly attenuated by the concurrent local treatment with antibody against this growth peptide. Indomethacin and both COX-2 inhibitors significantly prolonged the ulcer healing, while suppressing the generation of PGE2 in non-ulcerated and ulcerated gastric mucosa and the GBF at ulcer margin. The acceleration of ulcer healing by HGF and gastrin and accompanying rise in the GBF at ulcer margin were significantly attenuated by the concurrent treatment with indomethacin or NS-398 and Vioxx. HGF injections produced a significant rise in the pl

Topics: Animals; Antibodies; Blotting, Western; Cyclooxygenase 1; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dinoprostone; Enzyme Inhibitors; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Hepatocyte Growth Factor; Indomethacin; Isoenzymes; Lactones; Male; Membrane Proteins; Nitrobenzenes; Peptic Ulcer; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Sulfonamides; Sulfones

In this study, ischemia-reperfusion produced in rats by clamping the celiac artery for 0.5 h followed by 1 h of reperfusion was used to develop a new model of superficial gastric erosions progressing to deeper ulcers. Ischemia alone resulted in an immediate fall in gastric blood flow but no gross mucosal lesions were observed. When ischemia was followed by reperfusion, gastric erosive lesions occurred, reached a maximum at 12 h and then declined after 24 h. These acute erosions progressed into deeper lesions 24 h after ischemia-reperfusion and reached a peak after 3 days. Gastric blood flow and the mucosal generation of prostaglandin E(2) were significantly suppressed immediately following ischemia-reperfusion, but with the healing of deeper gastric ulcers, both gastric blood flow and prostaglandin E(2) generation were gradually restored. Cyclooxygenase-1 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in intact gastric mucosa and throughout the recovery of the mucosa from acute ischemia-reperfusion lesions, whereas cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA, was recorded only after ischemia-reperfusion. NS-398 and rofecoxib, selective inhibitors of cyclooxyganase-2, failed to affect prostaglandin E(2) generation in the non-ulcerated gastric mucosa but inhibited it significantly in the ulcer area. The two cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors as well as resveratrol, a specific cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitor and indomethacin and meloxicam, non-specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenase, augmented acute gastric erosions induced by ischemia-reperfusion and delayed significantly the progression of these lesions into deeper ulcers at each time interval after ischemia-reperfusion. We conclude that prostaglandins generated by both cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 contribute to the healing of gastric lesions induced by ischemia-reperfusion.

Topics: Animals; Cyclooxygenase 1; Cyclooxygenase 2; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Dinoprostone; Disease Models, Animal; Gastric Mucosa; Gastrins; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Indomethacin; Interleukin-1; Isoenzymes; Lactones; Meloxicam; Membrane Proteins; Nitrobenzenes; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; Prostaglandins; Rats; Regional Blood Flow; Reperfusion Injury; Resveratrol; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Stilbenes; Stomach Ulcer; Sulfonamides; Sulfones; Thiazines; Thiazoles; Time Factors