Skip to main content
Log in

Immunocytochemical localization of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in the rat stomach

  • Papers
  • Published:
The Histochemical Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Prostaglandins are considered to play important roles in gastric mucosal protection. The rate-limiting enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins is cyclooxygenase (COX), also known as prostaglandin H synthase. Two forms of COX are known: a constitutively expressed form (COX-1) and a newly-characterized, inducible form (COX-2). In the present study, the immunocytochemical localization of COX-1 and COX-2 was examined in the rat gastrointestinal tract. A strong immunoreactivity for COX-1 was localized in the mucous neck cells of gastric gland. A weak reactivity for COX-1 was also found in the mucous cell types in the cardiac gland and pyloric gland of the stomach as well as in the Brunner's gland of duodenum. Ultrastructurally, the immunoreactivity was localized to the apical cytoplasm of these cells. On the other hand, immunoreactivity for COX-2 was distributed in the surface mucous cells in both the fundic and pyloric regions of stomach. These results suggest that a subset of mucous cells is the primary site for production of prostaglandins in the rat gastrointestinal tract, and that two forms of COX are expressed in distinct types of mucous cell.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bennett, A., Stamford, I. F. & Unger, W. G. (1973) Prostaglandin E2 and gastric acid secretion in man. J. PhysioL. 229, 349–60.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dewitt, D. & Smith, W. (1989) Primary structure of prostaglandin G/H synthase from sheep vesicular gland determined from the complementary DNA sequence. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 1412–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujimoto, Y., Nakatani, E., Minamino, I., Takahashi, M., Sakuma, S. & Fujita, T. (1990) Effective use of rabbit gastric antral mucosal slices in prostaglandin synthesis and metabolism studies. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1044, 65–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson, C. & Bergstrom, S. (1982) Prostaglandins and protection of the gastroduodenal mucosa. Scand. J. GastroenteroL. 77 (suppl.), 21–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katsuyama, T. & Spicer, S. S. (1978) Histochemical differentiation of complex carbohydrates with variants of the concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase method. J. Histochem. CytocheM. 26, 233–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi, K., Higuchi, K., Arakawa, T., Matsumoto, T. & Nagura, I. (1992) Effect of sofalcone on localization of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase, an enzyme that metabolizes prostaglandin E2 in rat gastric mucosa: an immunohistochemical study. J. Clin. GastroenteroL. 14 (suppl. 1), 39–42.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Konturek, S. J., Radecki, T., Brzozowski, T., Piastucki, I., Dembinska-Kiec, A. & Zmuda, A. (1967) Gastric cytoprotection by prostaglandins, ranitidine, and probanthine in rats. Role of endogenous prostaglandins. Scand. J. GastroenteroL. 16, 7–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kujubu, D. A., Fletcher, B. S., Varnum, B. C., Lim, R. W. & Herschman, H. R. (1991) TIS10, a phorbol ester tumor promoter-inducible mRNA from Swiss 3T3 cells, encodes a novel prostaglandin synthase/cyclooxygenase homologue. J. Biol. CheM. 266, 12 866–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli, U. K. (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227, 680–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O'Neill, G. P. & Ford-Huchinson, A. W. (1993) Expression of mRNA for cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in human tissues. FEBS LetT. 330, 156–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, A., Nezamis, J. E. & Philips, J. P. (1967) Inhibition of gastric secretion by prostaglandins. Am. J. Dig. DiS. 12, 1073–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, A., Nezamis, J. E., Lancaster, C. & Hanchar, A. J. (1979) Cytoprotection by prostaglandins in rats. Prevention of gastric necrosis produced by alcohol, HCl, NaOH, hypertonic NaCl, and thermal injury. Gastroenterology 77, 433–43.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rollins, T. E. & Smith, W. L. (1980) Subcellular localization of prostaglandin-forming cyclooxygenase in Swiss mouse 3T3 fibroblasts by electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. J. Biol. CheM. 255, 4872–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roth, G. J., Siok, C. J. & Ozols, J. (1980) Structural characteristics of prostaglandin synthase from sheep vesicular gland. J. Biol. CheM. 255, 1301–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seidler, U., Beinborn, M. & Sewing, K-F. (1989) Inhibition of acid formation in rabbit parietal cells by prostaglandins is mediated by the prostaglandin E2 receptor. Gastroenterology 96, 314–20.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sirois, J. & Richards, J. S. (1992) Purification and characterization of a novel, distinct isoform of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase induced by human chorionic gonadotropin in granulosa cells of rat preovulatory follicles. J. Biol. CheM. 267, 6382–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, W. L. & Marnett, L. J. (1991) Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase: structure and catalysis. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1083, 1–17.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suganuma, T., Katsuyama, T., Tsukahara, M., Tatematsu, M., Sakakura, Y. & Murata, F. (1981) Comparative histochemical study of alimentary tracts with special reference to the mucous neck cells of the stomach. Am. J. AnaT. 161, 219–38.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Towbin, I., Staehelin, T. & Gordon, J. (1979) Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 76, 4350–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xie, W., Chipman, J. G., Robertson, D. L., Erikson, R. L. & Simmons, D. L. (1991) Expression of a mitogen-responsive gene encoding prostaglandin synthase is regulated by mRNA splicing. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 88, 2692–6.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yokoyama, C. & Tanabe, T. (1989) Cloning of human gene encoding prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase and primary structure of the enzyme. Biochem. Biophys. Res. CommuN. 165, 888–94.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iseki, S. Immunocytochemical localization of cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 in the rat stomach. Histochem J 27, 323–328 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00398975

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00398975

Keywords

Navigation