Expression and functional role of cyclooxygenase enzymes in cervical carcinoma

Cervical cancer is considered an important clinical problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent studies have suggested that epithelial tumors may be regulated by cyclooxygenase enzyme products. The purpose of this thesis was to determine the expression, localisation and possible functional role of cyclooxygenase enzymes in cervical carcinomas. The initial aim of the study was to determine whether cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 expession and prostglandin E₂ synthesis are up-regulated in cervical cancers. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis confirmed cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 ribonucleic acid and protein expression in all cases of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma investigated. In contrast, minimal expression of cyclooxygenase-1 or cyclooxygenase-2 was detected in histologically normal cervix. Immunohistochemical analyses localised the site of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin E₂ synthesis to neoplastic epithelial cells of all squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas studied.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Division of Medical Biochemistry

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Sales, Kurt Jason

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Katz, Arieh
• Jabbour, Henry

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3149

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/3149