ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To determine the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and to explore the effect of the expression of COX-2 mRNA in ACS.@*METHODS@#The expressions of COX-2 mRNA in peripheral blood monocytes from 18 normal subjects and 42 ACS patients were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the monocytes from patients were incubated with celecoxib in vitro. The concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in supernates of monocytes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).@*RESULTS@#The expression of COX-2 mRNA and the secrections of IL-6 and MMP-9 in peripheral blood monocytes in ACS patients significantly increased compared with those from normal controls [0.61 +/- 0.17 vs 0.11 +/- 0.09; (97.24 +/- 11.21) ng/L vs (22.15 +/- 6.30) ng/L; (41.20 +/- 8.41) g/L vs (11.76 +/- 4.23) g/L; all P < 0.05, respectively]. Celecoxib reduced IL-6 and MMP-9 secretion level of monocytes from ACS patients up to 48% and 50% respectively (all P < 0.05), in a concentration-dependent manner.@*CONCLUSION@#COX-2 in peripheral blood monocytes may play an important role in the acute coronary syndrome.