STUDY ON THE EXPRESSION OF CYCLOOXYGENASE-2 IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA CELL LINES AND ON THE GROWTH INHIBITION EFFECT OF NS-398

Objective: To investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and to explore the effect of NS-398, a selective inhibitor for COX-2, on HepG-2 cell line. Methods: Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to investigate COX-2 expression in 6 HCC cell lines. MTT and Flowcytometry were used to evaluate the effect of the selective inhibitor of COX-2, NS-398, on HepG-2 cell lines. Results: All six HCC cell lines showed COX-2 expression at protein level. Five out of 6 cell lines showed COX-2 expression at mRNA level. NS-398 could suppress the growth of HepG-2 cell line, in a time and dose dependant manner. Conclusion: NS-398, a selective inhibitor of COX-2, showed inhibition effect on HepG-2 HCC cell line. The efficacy of inhibition was time and dose dependent, providing a new evidence for chemoprovention of hepatocellular carcinorma with COX-2 selective inhibitors.