(a) Inhibition of cyclooxygenase‐2 (
COX
‐2) signalling by
NS
398 in Normal fibroblast (
NF
s) and cancer‐associated fibroblasts (
CAF
s) blocked proliferation of colon cancer epithelial cells.
NS 398 (10 μm) was added with or without TNFα (10 ng/ml). NS 398, a specific COX‐2 inhibitor, blocked most paracrine effects induced by TNFα from NFs (a) and CAFs (b) on proliferation of colon cancer epithelial cells (*P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 compared to their corresponding controls, n = 4). (B) Inhibition of
COX
‐2 signalling by
NS
398 in
NF
s and
CAF
s attenuated invasiveness of colon cancer epithelial cells.
NS 398 (10 μm) was added with or without TNFα (10 ng/ml). As a result, NS 398 also blocked most effects of NFs and CAFs stimulated by TNFα on invasiveness of colon cancer epithelial cells (n = 4, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 when compared to their corresponding controls, n = 4).