Signaling Pathway Leading To COX-2 Induction In Human Bronchial Epithelial (Beas-2B) Cell Responses To Human Lung Environmental Carcinogens

Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among various cancers for men and women in the world. Incidence rates and mortality rates of lung cancer keep increasing year by year. Although the diagnostic techniques and surgical therapy for lung cancer has been notably improved, patients still suffer a lot from missing the early diagnosis and therapy. To address this problem we need to take more effective measures to prevent the disease. It is reported that 80-90% cancers are caused by the exposure of environmental carcinogen, especially the chemical carcinogens. Therefore, current thesis used human bronchial epithelial (Beas-2B), a well characterized human cell model for lung cancer investigation, to explore the molecular mechanism involved in exposure of the cells to environmental lung carcinogens, including nickel, arsenite and PAH compounds as well.The carcinogenicity of nickel compounds to human lung has been well documented both in vivo and in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms by which nickel compounds cause cancers are not well understood. Current study investigated the signaling pathways implicated in nickel-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and its anti-apoptotic effect in Beas-2B...