Selective suppression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β finding and cyclooxygenase-2 promoter activity by sodium salicylate in quiescent human fibroblasts

The anti-inflammatory actions of salicylates cannot be explained by inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity. This study demonstrates that sodium salicylate at a therapeutic concentration suppressed COX-2 gene transcription induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and interleukin 1 beta by inhibiting the binding of CCAAT/ enhancer-binding protein beta to its promoter region of COX-2. By contrast, salicylate did not inhibit nuclear factor kappa beta -dependent COX-2 induction by tumor necrosis factor alpha. The inhibitory effect of sodium salicylate was restricted to serum-deprived quiescent cells. These findings indicate that contrary to the current view that salicylate acts via inhibition of nuclear factor kappa beta the pharmacological actions of aspirin and salicylates are mediated by inhibiting CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta binding and transactivation. These findings have a major impact on the conceptual understanding of the mechanism of action of salicylates and on new drug discovery and design.