| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2778202 | Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA) | 2006 | 5 Pages |
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in tumorigenesis of several tissues, including skin. We report here that troglitazone, a thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic drug, induced COX-2 expression at both the protein and mRNA levels and increased production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in cultured keratinocytes. Troglitazone-induced COX-2 expression in keratinocytes was likely peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ)-independent. Troglitazone treatment of these cells also resulted in a sustained increase in phosphorylation of ERK. We show that induction of COX-2 by troglitazone was almost completely inhibited by specific inhibitors of ERK activation. These data suggest that troglitazone is capable of inducing COX-2 expression through an ERK-dependent mechanism in mouse skin keratinocytes.
