Click on image to view larger version.
Figure 2. Scheme of COX-2 gene regulation by Sp1 and Sp3 in response to acute oxidative stress: COX-2 expression acclimatizes neuron to stress. Acute oxidative stress leads to enhanced translocation of Sp1 and Sp3 molecules to nucleus. Oxidative-associated complexes can then recruit Sp1 and Sp3 to the promoter region (specifically at –280/–261 position) of COX-2 gene and increase expression of its mRNA and protein. Increased levels of COX-2 permits neurons to protect them from excitotoxic, genotoxic, ischemic, and oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and promotes cell survival. Thus COX-2 protein can play an adaptation role of neurons to oxidative stress.
