Figure 5

Compression increases cyclooxygenase type 2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase type 1 (mPGES-1) but not cytosolic PGES (cPGES) and mPGES-2 protein expression in costal cartilage. Costal cartilage explants were (a-d) not compressed or (e-h) compressed for 18 h and immunostained with anti-COX-2, anti-mPGES-1, anti-cPGES and anti-mPGES-2 antibodies and then counterstained with toluidine blue. Increased expression of (e) COX-2 and (f) mPGES-1 protein was seen in compressed explants compared to uncompressed ((a) COX-2 and (b) mPGES-1). In contrast, (g) cPGES and (h) mPGES-2 were not overexpressed after application of a compressive stress compared to the uncompressed condition ((c) cPGES and (d) mPGES-2). Representative findings from two compressed and two uncompressed samples were tested. Scale bar = 100 μM.