PTGS2 and carcinoma of esophagus: In a study with an oesophageal cancer-induced model in F344 rats, the lycopene treatment resulted to enhance apoptosis by increasing the protein expression levels of PPARγ and caspase-3 while reducing inflammatory cytokines by decreasing the protein expression of NF-κB and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in oesophageal tissue [127].