Mechanistic aspects of COX-2 expression in colorectal neoplasia.

ABSTRACT: The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting step of prostaglandin formation in pathogenic states and a large amount of evidence has demonstrated constitutive COX-2 expression to be a contributing factor promoting colorectal cancer (CRC). Various genetic, epigenetic, and inflammatory pathways have been identified to be involved in the etiology and development of CRC. Alteration in these pathways can influence COX-2 expression at multiple stages of colon carcinogenesis allowing for elevated prostanoid biosynthesis to occur in the tumor microenvironment. In normal cells, COX-2 expression levels are potently regulated at the post-transcriptional level through various RNA sequence elements present within the mRNA 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). A conserved AU-rich element (A

SUBMITTER: Dixon DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3477597 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature