Study Investigates Celocoxib-Induced Apoptosis in Human Lung Cancer Cells

Main Category: Lung Cancer
Article Date: 01 Dec 2004 - 2:00 PDT

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Celecoxib (Celebrex), a COX-2 inhibitor, can induce apoptosis, or "programmed cell death", in various cancer cell lines through a mechanism that is independent of its COX-2 inhibitor activity but is otherwise uncharacterized. In a new study, Shi-Yong Sun, Ph.D., of the Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, and colleagues investigated the mechanism of celecoxib-induced apoptosis in human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines.

They found that treatment with celecoxib decreased cell survival, activated caspase (mediators of apoptosis) cascades, and increased DNA fragmentation by a pathway involving death receptor induction and caspase-8 activation. The authors conclude that celecoxib appears to induce apoptosis in human NSCLC cells through the extrinsic death receptor pathway.

Contact: Vincent Dollard, Communications, Winship Cancer Institute, 404-778-4580, vincent_dollard@emoryhealthcare.org

Note: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute is published by Oxford University Press and is not affiliated with the National Cancer Institute. Attribution to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute is requested in all news coverage. Visit the Journal online at http://jncicancerspectrum.oupjournals.org.

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Journal of the National Cancer Institute

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