Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in fibroblasts and endothelial cells of intestinal polyps

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the inducible COX isozyme, plays a key role in intestinal tumorigenesis. We have demonstrated recently that COX-2 protein is induced in the polyp stroma near the intestinal luminal surface in the Apc(Delta716) mouse, a model for human familial adenomatous polyposis, and stimulate tumor angiogenesis. However, the precise cell types that express COX-2 are still to be determined. By immunohistochemical analysis, here we show that the majority of COX-2-expressing cells in the intestinal polyps of Apc(Delta716) mice are fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Furthermore, the COX-2-expressing cells in human familial adenomatous polyposis polyps are also fibroblasts and endothelial cells. In contrast, bone marrow-derived cells such as macrophages and leukocytes express little COX-2 protein in the intestinal polyps. These results clearly indicate that fibroblasts and endothelial cells play important roles in polyp expansion by expressing COX-2, resulting in tumor angiogenesis.