Potential involvement of the cyclooxygenase-2 pathway in the regulation of tumor-associated angiogenesis and growth in pancreatic cancer

Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in tumor development and growth. The present investigation was undertaken to test the potential involvement of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathway in the regulation of angiogenesis and growth in pancreatic cancer. We compared the angiogenic characteristics of a COX-2-positive human pancreatic tumor cell line, BxPC-3, with those of a COX-2-negative pancreatic tumor cell line, AsPC-1. Cultured BxPC-3 cells promoted a marked increase of endothelial cell migration in comparison with migration that occurred in the absence of cancer cells. Furthermore, BxPC-3 cell culture supernatants induced endothelial cell capillary morphogenesis in vitro and neovascularization in vivo. In contrast, cultured AsPC-1 cells elicited a modest effect on endothelial cell migration and neovascularization in vivo. Pretreatment of BxPC-3 cells with the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 (50 micro M) dramatically decreased angiogenic responses of endothelial cells. NS-398 (25-100 micro M) caused inhibition of BxPC-3 cell proliferation but had no effect on AsPC-1 cell growth. SC-560, a selective COX-1 inhibitor, had no effect on growth of either cell lines. These results suggest an involvement of COX-2 in the control of tumor-dependent angiogenesis and growth in certain pancreatic cancers and provide the rational for inhibition of the COX pathway as an effective therapeutic approach for pancreatic tumors.