Select Dietary Phytochemicals Function as Inhibitors of COX-1 but Not COX-2

Abstract

Recent clinical trials raised concerns regarding the cardiovascular toxicity of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. Many active dietary factors are reported to suppress carcinogenesis by targeting COX-2. A major question was accordingly raised: why has the lifelong use of phytochemicals that likely inhibit COX-2 presumably not been associated with adverse cardiovascular side effects. To answer this question, we selected a library of dietary-derived phytochemicals and evaluated their potential cardiovascular toxicity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Our data indicated that the possibility of cardiovascular toxicity of these dietary phytochemicals was low. Further mechanistic studies revealed that the actions of these phytochemicals were similar to aspirin in that they mainly inhibited COX-1 rather than COX-2, especially at low doses.

Cell Motility on Polyethylene Glycol Block Copolymers Correlates to Fibronectin Surface Adsorption

“…As cells polarize in one direction (mostly random in absence of a chemo-attractant) they have a higher probability to move forward in the same direction instead of turning towards any other direction. [42][43][44] The protein on the pure FN surface is isotropically distributed and the process of the directed motion is only interrupted by intracellular processes resulting in the highest persistent time of motion. PLL-PEG (5) exhibits fewer adhesion points which leads on the one hand to more frequent interruption in the migration and on the other hand to faster movement, possibly due to faster detachment.…”

Spontaneous motion and deformation of a self-propelled droplet

“…In fact, a cell of an isotropic shape starts to move by breaking a symmetry of internal states such as distribution of functional proteins [31,32]. Although biological systems involve a lot of complex molecules, it has suggested that there is a relationship between shape and motility of a cell [33,34]. Here in order to ask ourselves whether there is a generic relation between shape and motility of self-propelled objects, we will discuss a rather simpler system of artificial chemical molecules with a droplet rather than a model of a cell.…”

COX‐1 Inhibitors: Beyond Structure Toward Therapy

“…Six anthraquinones and two naphthalene derivatives were isolated from ethyl acetate extract of R. nepalensis roots. Chrysophanol (29), physcion (30), emodin (31), emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (33), endocrocin (34), and nepodin (35) were identified. Emodin (31) exhibited a higher potent inhibitory effect on COX-2, followed by endocrocin (34).…”