Docosahexaenoic acid enhances cyclooxygenase-2 induction by facilitating p44/42, but not p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Takuji Machida, Miho Hiramatsu, Naoya Hamaue, Masaru Minami, Masahiko Hirafuji

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Japan.

Journal of pharmacological sciences 2005 Sep

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The effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cyclooxygenase expression induced by interleukin (IL)-1beta and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was investigated in order to clarify the cellular mechanism of cardiovascular protective effects. DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid slightly enhanced IL-1beta-induced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, but not COX-1, expression, whereas arachidonic acid had no effect. DHA also slightly enhanced PMA-induced COX-2 expression. DHA stimulated both rapid and prolonged activation of p44/42, but not p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) induced by IL-1beta and PMA. These results suggest that DHA enhances the COX-2 expression by selectively facilitating p44/42 MAPK activation in VSMCs.

Citation

Takuji Machida, Miho Hiramatsu, Naoya Hamaue, Masaru Minami, Masahiko Hirafuji. Docosahexaenoic acid enhances cyclooxygenase-2 induction by facilitating p44/42, but not p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Journal of pharmacological sciences. 2005 Sep;99(1):113-6