Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2005 Sep;48(9):2103-2111.

Effect of antioxidants on cyclooxygenase-2 expression, prostaglandin synthesis and nuclear factor Kappa-B activity in human myometrium

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eulji University School of Medicine, Eulji General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jh369.kim@samsung.com

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
The oxidative stimuli activate NF-kappa B, which is a transcriptional factor inducing the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme which involves in the rate-limiting step of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. This study was performed to investigate whether vitamin C or caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) suppress COX-2 protein expression, PG synthesis, and NF-kappa B activity in human myometrium at term.
METHODS
Human myometrial cells were cultured and stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and also treated with TNF-alpha plus caffeic acid phenethyl ester, and TNF-alpha plus vitamin C. The expressions of COX-2 protein were assessed by western blot analyses. The activity of NF-kappa B was measured by luciferase assay. PGE2 production was determined by ELISA.
RESULTS
The expression of COX-2 protein and the synthesis of PGE2 were promoted by TNF-alpha and peaked after 6 hours of exposure. CAPE and vitamin C significantly inhibited the TNF-alpha-dependent expression of COX-2 protein and the synthesis of PGE2. NF-kappa B activities were also suppressed by the addition of CAPE and vitamin C to TNF-alpha pre-stimulated cells.
CONCLUSION
The antioxidants, CAPE and vitamin C, inhibited COX-2 expression, PGE2 synthesis and NF-kappa B activity in human myometrial cells. These results suggest that the antioxidant may play an inhibitory role in human labor.

Keyword

Antioxidant; Myometrium; Cytokine; NF-kappa B; Cyclooxygenase-2; Prostaglandin

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antioxidants*
Ascorbic Acid
Blotting, Western
Cyclooxygenase 2*
Dinoprostone
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Humans*
Luciferases
Mice
Myometrium*
NF-kappa B
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Antioxidants
Ascorbic Acid
Cyclooxygenase 2
Dinoprostone
Luciferases
NF-kappa B
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
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