2008/10/24 by Carol A. Rouzer, Lawrence J. Marnett · 1 citation
Medicine · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Inflammatory mediators and NSAID effects #Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology #Estrogen and related hormone effects
paper · pdf · doi:10.1194/jlr.r800042-jlr200
openalex publication_date 2008/10/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Cyclooxygenase (COX; prostaglandin G/H synthase, EC 1.14.99.1) catalyzes the first two steps in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins (PGs). The two COX isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 are the targets of the widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, indicating a role for these enzymes in pain, fever, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. The ubiquitous constitutive expression of COX-1 and inducible expression of COX-2 have led to the widely held belief that COX-1 produces homeostatic PGs, while PGs produced by COX-2 are primarily pathophysiological. However, recent discoveries call this paradigm into question and reveal as yet underappreciated functions for both enzymes. This review focuses on some of these new insights.