17 Beta-estradiol and progesterone upregulate cyclooxygenase-2 expression in the human gingival fibroblasts
DARU-Journal of Faculty of Pharmacy Tehran University of Medical Sciences. 2006; 14 (4): 190-196
in English
| IMEMR
| ID: emr-76417
ABSTRACT
Gingivitis is associated with 60-75% of all pregnancies and elevated levels of 17beta -estradiol and progesterone is known to increase gingival inflammation and the proinflammatory prostaglandins in the human gingiva. Since cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2] is an inducible enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandins at the sites of inflammation, it is plausible to hypothesize that 17beta - estradiol and progesterone could contribute to gingival inflammation by upregulation of COX-2 expression and subsequent prostaglandin formation. To examine this hypothesis, primary cultures of human gingival fibroblasts [HGFs] from either sex were established. The cells were treated with different concentrations [10-5, 10-7, and 10-9 M] of 17beta -estradiol and progesterone, and expression of COX-2 protein was detected immunocytochemically. The growth potential and proliferation of these cells were studied using trypan blue exclusion method and MTT assay. The results show that both 17beta -estradiol and progesterone upregulate COX-2 expression in the HGFs significantly. In addition, progesterone is more effective than 17beta -estradiol to induce COX-2 expression at 10-5M but not at lower concentration [10-9M]. Furthermore, cells prepared from either sex do not show any difference in COX-2 expression following hormone treatment and neither hormones show any changes in proliferation of these cells. In conclusion, the results of this investigation clearly illustrate significant regulatory effects of 17beta -estradiol and progesterone on COX-2 expression in the cultured HGFs. Thus, one possible pathogenetic mechanism of the female sex hormone-associated gingivitis in vivo may be the synthesis of proinflammatory prostaglandins via upregulation of COX-2 expression by gingiva in response to elevated levels of circulating estrogens and progesterone
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Index:
IMEMR (Eastern Mediterranean)
Main subject:
Progesterone
/
Immunohistochemistry
/
Prostaglandins
/
Estradiol
/
Cyclooxygenase 2
/
Gingiva
/
Gingivitis
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
J. Fac. Pharm. Tehran Univ. Med. Sci.
Year:
2006
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