COX-2 in liver, from regeneration to hepatocarcinogenesis: What we have learned from animal models?

Table 1 Summary of metabolic patterns and liver responses in transgenic mice with a liver-specific expression of the COX-2 gene

	Model #1[38,41]	Model #2[42,43]	Model #3[44,45]
PGE2 WT vs TG	45 vs 1752	30 vs 5502	22 vs 581
Challenge
LPS/D-GalN	Protection	ND	Sensitization
MCD/CCl4	ND	Irrelevant	ND
Jo2 (FasL)	Protection	ND	Protection
Transaminases after challenge
WT/TG (UI/L)	3750/625	500/500	400/1600
Infiltration3	No	Yes	ND
Fibrosis3	No	No	No
Hepatitis3	No	Yes	ND
HCC-induction3	ND	ND	ND

¹pg/mg of liver;

²pg/mg of protein;

³In animals aged 12-mo. COX-2: Cyclooxygenase 2; ND: Not determined; PG: Prostaglandin; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide; D-GalN: D-galactosamine; MCD: Methionine and choline-deficient diet model; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; WT: Wild type; TG: COX-2 transgenic mice.