Effects of COXª²2 inhibitor on proliferation and extracelluar matrix production of fibroblasts

    LIANG Junª²Rong, WANG Xin, WU Kaiª²Chun, SHI Yongª²Quan, HAN Zheª²Yi, LAN Mei, SHI Deª²Hong

    1Department of Gastroenterology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710033, China, 2Department of Gastroenterology, Third Hospital of PLA, Baoji 721004, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the effects of Celecoxib, a specific COXª²2 inhibitor, on the proliferation, viability and extracellular matrix production of fibroblasts, and to explore the mechanisms involved in its protection against liver fibrosis. METHODS: NIH/3T3 fibroblasts were cultured in vitro, as the substitutive model of hepatic satellate cells (HSC). The dosage of Celecoxib used was 5, 10, 20 and 40 ¦Ìmol/L, respectively. The effects of Celecoxib on the cell proliferation was measured by methabenzthiazuron (MTT) assay and the extracellular matrix (HA, LN, PCIII and IVC) in culture medium was detected by radioimmunoassay. The expression of COXª²2 in NIH3T3 was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Western blot indicated that COXª²2 protein was expressed in NIH3T3 cells, the drug target of Celecoxib. Celecoxib showed no significant toxicity to NIH3T3 cells, but significantly inhibited the cell proliferation in a doseª²dependent manner (P<0.01), and the synthesis of HA and LA as well. With 5-40 ¦Ìmol/L of Celecoxib, the inhibition rate of LA was 19.74%, 18.16%, 22.05% and 24.65% respectively and with 20-40 ¦Ìmol/L of Celecoxib, the inhibition rate of HA was 17.53©‡ and 24.24% respectively, which differed significantly from those in the control groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Celecoxib can significantly inhibit NIH/3T3 cell proliferation and ECM (HA, LN) production and may play a role in antiª²liver fibrosis in vitro. ......