Identification of cells expressing cyclooxygenase-2 in response to interleukin-1β in rat aortae

Localization of cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) in rat aortae was investigated. in endothelium-intact aortic strips stimulated with interleukin-1β (il-1β),cox-2 was detected in adventitial fibroblasts and macrophages but not in tunica media. il-1β-induced cox-2 expression was also detected in medial smooth muscle cells of endothelium-denuded aortae and cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. il-1β-induced cox-2 expression in all of the above cells was abolished in the presence of u0126,an inhibitor of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (erk). thus,il-1β induces cox-2 through the erk-mediated pathway in adventitial fibroblasts and macrophages of healthy aortae; and in addition,medial smooth muscle cells are also responsible for cox-2 expression in remodeled aortae. © 2010 the japanese pharmacological society.