Effect of MAPK specific inhibitors on COX-2 protein expression.

<p>Fibroblasts from nasal mucosa (NM, N = 5, black spots) and nasal polyps from AIA patients (NP-AIA, N = 5, white spots) were pre-treated with p38 (A) MAPK (SB203580), (B) JNK (SP600125), and (C) ERK (PD98059) specific inhibitors at different concentrations (0.1–10 µM) for 1 h before addition of IL-1β (1 ng/ml) for 24 h. COX-2 and β-actin protein expression was analyzed by Western blot. Only the p38 MAPK inhibitor significantly blocked IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression in NM fibroblasts. Results are presented as COX-2/β-actin ratio. Graph shows individual experimental results and lines indicate the medians values. * p<0.05, † p = 0.06 compared to IL-1β treatment by Wilcoxon test.