Inhibition of PI3K-AKT Signaling Blocks PGE2-Induced COX-2 Expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Jianjian Yang; Xue Wang; Yi Gao; Can Fang; Fan Ye; Bing Huang; Lequn Li

doi:10.2147/OTT.S263977

Inhibition of PI3K-AKT Signaling Blocks PGE₂-Induced COX-2 Expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Onco Targets Ther. 2020 Aug 18:13:8197-8208. doi: 10.2147/OTT.S263977. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Jianjian Yang¹, Xue Wang¹, Yi Gao¹, Can Fang¹, Fan Ye¹, Bing Huang¹, Lequn Li¹

Affiliation

¹ Thoracic Surgery Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Purpose: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and its enzymatic product prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) possess tumor-promoting activity, and COX-2 is considered as a candidate for targeted cancer therapy. However, several randomized clinical trials using COX-2 inhibitors to treat advanced lung cancer have failed to improve survival indices. To employ a more effective therapeutic strategy to inhibit the COX-2-PGE₂ axis in tumors, it is necessary to revisit the mechanism underlying the protumor effect of COX-2-PGE₂.

Patients and methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to predict the expression and prognostic value of COX-2 in lung adenocarcinoma samples. The mRNAs or proteins expression of COX-2, pAKT1/2/3, pErk1/2 and pCREB were detected after different treatments by qPCR or Western blot. The impacts of PGE₂ and some inhibitors on cell proliferation and migration ability were verified by CCK-8 and transwell assays, respectively.

Results: In this study, we first confirmed that COX-2 expression in tumor specimens is associated with the pathological stage of the disease. Next, using lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, we found that exogenous PGE₂ induces the expression of COX-2 at the mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, downregulation of COX-2 expression restrained PGE₂-induced cancer cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistic analysis revealed that PGE₂ stimulation activates the PKA-CREB and PI3K-AKT pathways. Downregulation of CREB expression abrogated PGE₂-induced COX-2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of PI3K-AKT signaling suppressed the activation of CREB and PGE₂-induced COX-2 expression. Specific inhibitors for PI3K and AKT suppressed COX-2 mRNA expression in ex vivo cultures of tumor specimens with PGE₂.

Conclusion: Simultaneous targeting of COX-2 and PI3K-AKT effectively suppressed PGE₂-induced cell proliferation and migration and both acted in a synergistic manner. Targeting the COX-2-PGE₂ positive feedback loop may be therapeutically beneficial to lung adenocarcinoma.

Keywords: AKT; COX-2; EP receptor; PGE2; lung adenocarcinoma.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 81672808, 81472652, and 81874168 for L.L.).