What is the COX-2 pathway?

COX pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. COX-1 or COX-2 converts arachidonic acid to PGG2 and furthermore to PGH2 via COX and peroxidase activity. PGH2 is next metabolized to 5 major bioactive prostanoids—PGE2, PGI2, PGD2, PGF2, and TXA2—through their respective tissue-specific synthases.

Does COX-2 promote inflammation?

COX-2 is a key mediator of inflammatory pathways and its elevated expression has been found in several other human cancers as well. The relation between inflammation and cancer in general is well documented.

What is inflammatory pathway?

The inflammatory response has four phases: inflammatory inducers (infection or tissue damage), inflammatory sensors (mast cells and macrophages), inflammatory mediators (cytokines, chemokines, etc.) and the tissues that are affected. Each phase has many options that are triggered based on the type pathogen introduced.

What does the COX pathway do?

The enzymes that produce prostaglandins are called cyclooxygenase (COX). There are two types of COX enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2. Both enzymes produce prostaglandins that promote inflammation, pain, and fever; however, only COX-1 produces prostaglandins that activate platelets and protect the stomach and intestinal lining.

What is the role of COX during inflammation?

In the first, cyclooxygenase (COX) initiates the formation of prostaglandins and thromboxane. Inhibition of COX is one mechanism by which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exert their potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

How many inflammatory pathways are there?

Inflammation is frequently a key element in the pathological progression of organ disease. Three main pathways, NF-κB, MAPK, and JAK-STAT, play major roles in inflammation, and dysregulation of one or more of these pathways may lead to inflammation-associated disease.

Which pathway is activated during inflammation?

Inflammation is a protective response of cells to pathogens, infection or tissue damage. It involves the coordinated communication of different immune cells and blood vessels through an intricate cascade of molecular signals….Key Inflammatory Response Pathway Targets.

What is lipoxygenase pathway?

5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) pathway is the major source of potent proinflammatory leukotrienes (LTs) issued from the metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA), and best known for their roles in the pathogenesis of asthma.

What is the role of COX-2 in arthritis?

COX-2 is well known for its inflammatory roles, but the use of COX-2 inhibitors as painkillers for arthritis has been controversial due to the development of severe cardiovascular side effects in some patients [5], [6].

How is COX-2 expressed in activated macrophages?

Initially, COX-2 is mainly expressed in activated macrophages and other inflammatory cells and is up-regulated after exposure to growth factors or inflammatory stimuli. In addition, COX-2 is expressed at elevated levels in malignant cells.

What is the role of COX-2 in cell proliferation?

COX-2 induction or overexpression is associated with an increased production of PGE2, one of the major products of COX-2 which is known to modulate cell proliferation, cell death, and tumor invasion in many types of cancer including colon, breast, and lung.

How is COX-2 related to prostanoid production?

COX-2 is rapidly expressed in several cell types in response to growth factors, cytokines, and pro-inflammatory molecules and has emerged as the isoform primarily responsible for prostanoid production in acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. COX-1 and COX-2 are coded by 2 distinct genes located on human chromosome 9 and 1, respectively.