Abstract
Cyclooxygenases (COX, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthases, PGG/H synthases) are potent mediators of inflammation. While COX-1 is constitutively expressed in a wide range of tissues, COX-2 is cytokine inducible. Although COX-1 expression is observed in normal tissue, enhanced COX-2 expression has been attributed a key role in the development of edema, impeding blood flow and immunomodulation observed in pathologically altered tissues. Here, we have analyzed the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in 50 gliomas and 10 control brains with no neuropathological alterations by immunohistochemistry; 22 glioblastoma multiforme, 9 anaplastic astrocytomas, 5 protoplasmic astrocytomas, 1 gemistocytic astrocytoma and 13 fibrillary astrocytomas were included in the study. Compared with control brains, accumulation of COX-1 was detected in 20–50% of all cells in both low- and high-grade gliomas. Double-labeling experiments revealed COX-1 expression in subsets of macrophages/ microglial cells within the tumor parenchyma and in areas of infiltrative tumor growth. Of the COX-1-positive cells, 90% expressed MHC class II antigens. No COX-1 immunoreactivity was observed in tumor cells. COX-2-positive cells accumulated in tumor cells and in single macrophages/microglial cells in the immediate vicinity of necroses. Further studies are required to determine whether COX-2 is involved in the development of necrosis or, more likely, whether COX-2 is a part of the tumor tissue response to necrosis.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 1 September 1998 / Revised: 20 November 1998, 26 January 1999 / Accepted: 27 January 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Deininger, M., Weller, M., Streffer, J. et al. Patterns of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 expression in human gliomas in vivo. Acta Neuropathol 98, 240–244 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010051075
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010051075