The Role of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases and Their Relationship with NF-κB and PPARγ in Indomethacin-Induced Apoptosis of Colon Cancer Cells

Abstract

We have evaluated the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and their relationship with nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) in indomethacin-induced apoptosis of colon cancer cells. We demonstrated that indomethacin can induce the prolonged activation of MAPKs in colon cancer cells; and that of these MAPKs, p38 MAPK may play a partial but significant role in indomethacin-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, indomethacin-induced p38 MAPK-mediated apoptosis of colon cancer cell lines is independent of caspase activation and not associated with indomethacin-induced NF-κB suppression and PPARγ activation.