SUPPRESSIVE EFFECTS OF TRANILAST ON THE EXPRESSION OF INDUCIBLE CYCLOOXYGENASE (COX2) IN INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA-STIMULATED FIBROBLASTS

We investigated the effects of tranilast on inducible cyclooxygenase ( COX2)-mediated prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) production and enzyme induct ion in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-stimulated cultured dermal fibro blasts. IL-1 beta enhanced PGE(2) production in cultured fibroblasts. Tranilast did not affect constitutive cyclooxygenase (COX1) or COX2 ac tivity in non-stimulated or IL-1 beta-stimulated fibroblasts. However, the COX2 expression induced by IL-1 beta was inhibited by tranilast. This result, that IL-beta-induced COX2 expression was suppressed by tr anilast, was confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis. Thus, it is po ssible for tranilast to regulate PGE(2) production by inhibiting COX2 induction. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.