Effect of DHT on COX-2 during IL-1β-stimulation is androgen receptor independent/ER-dependent in HBVSMC. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression was assessed in fetal human brain vascular smooth muscle cells (HBVSMC) pre-treated for 1 h with vehicle (VEH), the androgen receptor antagonist bicalutamide (BIC; 1 μM), or the non-selective estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780 (ICI, 1 μM), followed by VEH or dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 10 nM) for 18 h, then exposed to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β; 5 ng/ml; 6 h) in the continued presence of hormone/antagonist. (A) and (B) Representative blots for COX-2. C: Data analysis for COX-2 levels corrected for loading with beta actin and normalized to vehicle (VEH). *P < 0.01 vs. VEH, #P < 0.05 vs. IL-1β, #P < 0.05 vs. IL-1β, ˆP < 0.05 vs. IL-1β + DHT (n ≥ 4 per group).