NS-398 upregulates constitutive cyclooxygenase-2 expression in the M-1 cortical collecting duct cell line

The cortical collecting duct (CCD) is a major site of intrarenal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. This study examines the expression and regulation of the prostaglandin synthesizing enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and -2 in the CCD. By indirect immunofluorescence using isoform-specific antibodies, COX-1 and -2 immunoreactivity was localized to all cell types of the murine M-1 CCD cell line. By immunohistochemistry, both COX-1 and COX-2 were localized to intercalated cells of the CCD on paraffin-embedded mouse kidney sections. When COX enzyme activity was measured in the M-1 cells, both indomethacin (COX-1 and -2 inhibitor) and the specific COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 effectively blocked PGE2 synthesis. These results demonstrate that COX-2 is the major contributor to the pool of PGE2 synthesized by the CCD. By Western blot analysis, COX-2 expression was significantly upregulated by incubation with either indomethacin or NS-398. These drugs did not affect COX-1 protein expression. Evaluation of COX-2 mRNA expression by Northern blot analysis after NS-398 treatment demonstrated that the COX-2 protein upregulation occurred independently of any change in COX-2 mRNA expression. These studies have for the first time localized COX-2 to the CCD and provided evidence that the intercalated cells of the CCD express both COX-1 and COX-2. The results also demonstrate that constitutively expressed COX-2 is the major COX isoform contributing to PGE2 synthesis by the M-1 CCD cell line. Inhibition of COX-2 activity in the M-1 cell line results in an upregulation of COX-2 protein expression.