Change of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in lung tissues of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Objective To investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) in lung tissues of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF).Methods The RNA was extracted from the fibrosis lung tissues and normal lung tissues of 20 IPF patients and the expression of COX-2 mRNA was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) in Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and serum of those patients.Results The relative amount of COX-2mRNA expression(%)in lung tissues of patients with IPF(143.10±7.16) was significantly higher than that in the control group(32.90±1.65)(P0.05).In the BALF of patients with IPF,the levels of PGE2(639.50±96.27) ng/L was higher than that of the control group(257.36±41.40)(P0.05).Conclusions The overexpression of COX-2 may be seen in IPF,which may result in enhancing the level of PGE2.