Effect of sodium salicylate on COX-2 expression in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes

Abstract

Salicylates, one of the oldest medicinal compounds known to humans, have been reported to show anti-inflammatory effects via cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition. However, the pathophysiological role of COX-2 in the heart is conflicting, and the role of sodium salicylate in the regulation of cardiac inflammation has not yet been elucidated. We aimed to investigate the effect of salicylate on COX-2 expression and its associated prostaglandin production using cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The cells were incubated in the presence or absence of sodium salicylate (8 mM). Treatment with sodium salicylate significantly increased COX-2 expression at both mRNA and protein levels, induced prostaglandin D2 release, and increased TNF-alpha mRNA expression in cardiomyocytes. In addition, salicylate treatment induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Taken together, we demonstrated that salicylate induced COX-2 expression, which in turn resulted in the regulation of expression of several inflammatory mediators in cardiomyocytes.