PPARgamma and COX-2: novel therapeutic targets for endometriosis?

OLIVARES C; RICCI A; BILOTAS M; BARAñAO RI; MERESMAN GF

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jornada; XI Jornadas Anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología (SAB); 2009

Sociedad Argentina de Biologia

EDT is a common benign illness that affects 10% of women in reproductive age. There is constant need to better understand this affection and to improve the current medical therapies available. Previous reports demonstrated that inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)ã have antiproliferative, proapoptotic and antiangiogenic effects in different in vivo and in vitro cancer models. In this study, we examined the effects of targeting both these molecules in a murine model of EDT. For this purpose, female BALB/c mice underwent EDT induction surgery. Treatment groups were: Control (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose, CMC, in distilled water); Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, (200 mg/kg in 0.5% CMC in distilled water); Rosiglitazone (0.16 mg/kg in distilled water) and Celecoxib + Rosiglitazone (combinational therapy). All treatments started the day after surgery and were administered daily by esophageal gavage for 28 days. Then animals were sacrificed and the number of implants established was counted and measured. Celecoxib alone and the combinational treatment significantly reduced the number of implants established, whereas all treatments significantly diminished their volume compared to the Control group. Cell proliferation and vascularization were assessed and all treatments were effective reducing both theses parameters, as well as enhancing apoptosis within the implants compared to the Control group. These results are encouraging to further investigate these new targets for EDT treatment.