Cyclooxygenase regulates human oropharyngeal carcinomas via the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6: a general role for inflammation?

FASEB J. 2000 Aug;14(11):1499-507. doi: 10.1096/fj.14.11.1499.

Abstract

High levels of prostaglandins are produced in human oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC). Five human OPC cell lines tested expressed both isoforms of cyclooxygenases (COX). The pan-COX inhibitor ketorolac continuously and significantly decreased PGE(2) production and IL-6 and IL-8 levels in all OPC cell lines tested, but did not affect IL-1alpha, GM-CSF levels, or in vitro tumor cell growth. In contrast, ketorolac reduced OPC growth in vivo. The OPC cell lines used express the IL-6 receptor, and IL-6 stimulation of these cells causes transduction to occur via STAT3 pathway activation. Coincubation with OPC cell lines with conditioned medium from a TPA-exposed HL-60 cells stimulated growth proportional to the IL-6 levels measured in the conditioned medium. This growth effect was specifically inhibited by anti-IL-6 antibody. These results are consistent with cytokine products of inflammatory cells having paracrine growth effects on OPC. If chronic inflammation plays a role in promoting the development of OPC, this mechanism may also apply to other epithelial tumor systems modulated by COX activity.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Arachidonic Acid / metabolism
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / metabolism
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Dinoprostone / metabolism
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-1 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-1 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-6 / immunology
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-6 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-8 / pharmacology
  • Isoenzymes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Ketorolac / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Models, Biological
  • Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Paracrine Communication / drug effects
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / pharmacology
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Interleukin-1
  • Interleukin-6
  • Interleukin-8
  • Isoenzymes
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Stat3 protein, mouse
  • Trans-Activators
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
  • Dinoprostone
  • Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
  • Ketorolac