Nimesulide, a COX-2 inhibitor, does not reduce lesion size or number in a nude mouse model of endometriosis

M. Louise Hull, M L Hull, Andrew Prentice, A Prentice, D Y Wang, R P Butt, Rafi Butt, Stephen C. Phillips, S C Phillips, S K Smith, D. Stephen Charnock‐Jones, D S Charnock-Jones
Human Reproduction · 2004 · vol. 20(2) , pp. 350–358 · doi:10.1093/humrep/deh611 · PMID:15567877 · W2133290279
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 41 in-corpus citations
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This study investigated the effect of the COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide on endometriotic lesions in nude mice and found no reduction in lesion size or number.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Women with endometriosis have elevated levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in peritoneal macrophages and endometriotic tissue. Inhibition of COX-2 has been shown to reduce inflammation, angiogenesis and cellular proliferation. It may also downregulate aromatase activity in ectopic endometrial lesions. Ectopic endometrial establishment and growth are therefore likely to be suppressed in the presence of COX-2 inhibitors. We hypothesized that COX-2 inhibition would reduce the size and number of ectopic human endometrial lesions in a nude mouse model of endometriosis. METHODS: The selective COX-2 inhibitor, nimesulide, was administered to estrogen-supplemented nude mice implanted with human endometrial tissue. Ten days after implantation, the number and size of ectopic endometrial lesions were evaluated and compared with lesions from a control group. Immunohistochemical assessment of vascular development and macrophage and myofibroblast infiltration in control and treated lesions was performed. RESULTS: There was no difference in the number or size of ectopic endometrial lesions in control and nimesulide-treated nude mice. Nimesulide did not induce a visually identifiable difference in blood vessel development or macrophage or myofibroblast infiltration in nude mouse explants. CONCLUSION: The hypothesized biological properties of COX-2 inhibition did not influence lesion number or size in the nude mouse model of endometriosis.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors Endometriosis Endometriosis Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases Sulfonamides Adult Animals Antibodies Cells, Cultured Cyclooxygenase 2 Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors Disease Models, Animal Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans

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References (63)

Cited by (41)

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