The Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Cell Proliferation and Cell Death in Human Malignancies

Figure 1

Metabolism of arachidonic acid by COX-2 and receptors implicated in response to prostaglandins (according to Chandrasekharan et al. [21]). Prostaglandins act through different receptors to mediate their effects. PGE2 is able to bind four receptors (EP1, 2, 3, and 4). These receptors do not possess the same ligand affinity and their expression is tissuedependent. The different receptors are associated with different intracellular pathways. Most of these receptors are localized in the plasma membrane but nuclear receptors PPAR𝛾 can also bind PGJ2. Abbreviation: COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; PG, prostaglandin; FP, prostaglandin F receptor; DP, prostaglandin D receptor; EP, prostaglandin E receptor; IP, prostaglandin I receptor; PPAR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; NSAIDs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.