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Filaferro L, Zaccarelli F, Niccolini GF, Colizza A, Zoccali F, Grasso M, Fusconi M. Are statins onco- suppressive agents for every type of tumor? A systematic review of literature. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2024; 24:435-445. [PMID: 38609343 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2024.2343338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Statins, in the role of anti-cancer agents, have been used in many types of cancers with results in some cases promising while, in others, disappointing. AREAS COVERED The purpose of this review is to identify and highlight data from literature on the successes or failure of using statins as anti-cancer agents. We asked ourselves the following two questions:1. Could statins, which are taken mostly to reduce cardiovascular risk, guarantee a lower incidence or a better cancer disease prognosis, concerning local recurrence, metastasis or mortality?2. Does statins intake (before and/or after cancer diagnosis) improve the prognosis or increase the chemotherapeutic action when combined with other anticancer therapies? For the first question twenty-seven manuscripts have been selected, for the second one, twenty-eight. EXPERT OPINION There are data which correlate statins with a possible tumor suppressive action among the following cancers: breast, lung, prostate and head and neck. Lastly, for gastric cancer and colorectal there is no evidence of a correlation. The onco-suppressive efficacy of statins is mainly related to the histopathological and/or molecular characteristics of the tumor cells, which have different characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Filaferro
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Colizza
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Massimo Fusconi
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
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2
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Romo-Perez A, Domínguez-Gómez G, Chávez-Blanco AD, González-Fierro A, Correa-Basurto J, Dueñas-González A. PaSTe. Blockade of the Lipid Phenotype of Prostate Cancer as Metabolic Therapy: A Theoretical Proposal. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:3265-3285. [PMID: 37287286 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230607104441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in 112 countries and is the leading cause of death in eighteen. In addition to continuing research on prevention and early diagnosis, improving treatments and making them more affordable is imperative. In this sense, the therapeutic repurposing of low-cost and widely available drugs could reduce global mortality from this disease. The malignant metabolic phenotype is becoming increasingly important due to its therapeutic implications. Cancer generally is characterized by hyperactivation of glycolysis, glutaminolysis, and fatty acid synthesis. However, prostate cancer is particularly lipidic; it exhibits increased activity in the pathways for synthesizing fatty acids, cholesterol, and fatty acid oxidation (FAO). OBJECTIVE Based on a literature review, we propose the PaSTe regimen (Pantoprazole, Simvastatin, Trimetazidine) as a metabolic therapy for prostate cancer. Pantoprazole and simvastatin inhibit the enzymes fatty acid synthase (FASN) and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl- coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), therefore, blocking the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol, respectively. In contrast, trimetazidine inhibits the enzyme 3-β-Ketoacyl- CoA thiolase (3-KAT), an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of fatty acids (FAO). It is known that the pharmacological or genetic depletion of any of these enzymes has antitumor effects in prostatic cancer. RESULTS Based on this information, we hypothesize that the PaSTe regimen will have increased antitumor effects and may impede the metabolic reprogramming shift. Existing knowledge shows that enzyme inhibition occurs at molar concentrations achieved in plasma at standard doses of these drugs. CONCLUSION We conclude that this regimen deserves to be preclinically evaluated because of its clinical potential for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Romo-Perez
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Alma D Chávez-Blanco
- Subdirección de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aurora González-Fierro
- Subdirección de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Correa-Basurto
- Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfonso Dueñas-González
- Subdirección de Investigación Básica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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Atmane MI, Vigneau AL, Beaudry F, Rico C, Boerboom D, Paquet M. Therapeutic trial of fluvastatin in a cell line xenograft model of canine mammary gland cancer. Vet Comp Oncol 2023; 21:634-645. [PMID: 37709554 DOI: 10.1111/vco.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The Hippo signalling pathway is involved in breast cancer and canine mammary tumour (CMT). This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of fluvastatin on the Hippo pathway and its main effectors, YAP and TAZ, in vivo in a murine CMT cell line xenograft model. On treatment day 1, mice were divided into four groups: vehicle, fluvastatin, doxorubicin or a combination therapy. Tumour volumes were monitored with callipers and tissues harvested on day 28th of treatment. Histopathological examination of tumour tissues and major organs was performed as well as tumour evaluation of necrosis, apoptosis, cellular proliferation, expression of YAP, TAZ and the mRNA levels of four of their target genes (CTGF, CYR61, ANKRD1 and RHAMM2). Results showed a statistically significant variation in tumour volumes only for the combination therapy and final tumour weight only for the doxorubicin group compared to control. There was no significant difference in tumour necrosis, expression of CC3, ki-67, YAP and TAZ measured by immunohistochemistry and in the mRNA levels of the target genes. Unexpectedly, lung metastases were found in the control group (9) and not in the fluvastatin treated group (7). In addition, mass spectrometry-based quantification of fluvastatin reveals concentrations comparable to levels reported to exert therapeutic effects. This study shows that fluvastatin tumours concentration reached therapeutic levels without having an effect on the hippo pathway or various tumour parameters. Interestingly, only the control group had lung metastases. This study is the first to explore the repurposing of statins for cancer treatment in veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Issam Atmane
- Département de Pathologie et de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Anne-Laurence Vigneau
- Département de Pathologie et de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Francis Beaudry
- Département de Biomédecine Vétérinaire, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche sur le cerveau et l'apprentissage (CIRCA), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Charlène Rico
- Département de Biomédecine Vétérinaire, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Derek Boerboom
- Département de Biomédecine Vétérinaire, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité (CRRF), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
| | - Marilène Paquet
- Département de Pathologie et de Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
- Centre de recherche en reproduction et fertilité (CRRF), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
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van Leeuwen JE, Ba-Alawi W, Branchard E, Cruickshank J, Schormann W, Longo J, Silvester J, Gross PL, Andrews DW, Cescon DW, Haibe-Kains B, Penn LZ, Gendoo DMA. Computational pharmacogenomic screen identifies drugs that potentiate the anti-breast cancer activity of statins. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6323. [PMID: 36280687 PMCID: PMC9592602 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33144-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Statins, a family of FDA-approved cholesterol-lowering drugs that inhibit the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate metabolic pathway, have demonstrated anticancer activity. Evidence shows that dipyridamole potentiates statin-induced cancer cell death by blocking a restorative feedback loop triggered by statin treatment. Leveraging this knowledge, we develop an integrative pharmacogenomics pipeline to identify compounds similar to dipyridamole at the level of drug structure, cell sensitivity and molecular perturbation. To overcome the complex polypharmacology of dipyridamole, we focus our pharmacogenomics pipeline on mevalonate pathway genes, which we name mevalonate drug-network fusion (MVA-DNF). We validate top-ranked compounds, nelfinavir and honokiol, and identify that low expression of the canonical epithelial cell marker, E-cadherin, is associated with statin-compound synergy. Analysis of remaining prioritized hits led to the validation of additional compounds, clotrimazole and vemurafenib. Thus, our computational pharmacogenomic approach identifies actionable compounds with pathway-specific activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E. van Leeuwen
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Wail Ba-Alawi
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Emily Branchard
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Jennifer Cruickshank
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Wiebke Schormann
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5 Canada
| | - Joseph Longo
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Jennifer Silvester
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Peter L. Gross
- grid.25073.330000 0004 1936 8227Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 Canada
| | - David W. Andrews
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5 Canada
| | - David W. Cescon
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 27 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1 Canada
| | - Benjamin Haibe-Kains
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, 10 King’s College Road, Toronto, ON M5S 3G4 Canada ,grid.419890.d0000 0004 0626 690XOntario Institute of Cancer Research, 661 University Avenue, Suite 510, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3 Canada
| | - Linda Z. Penn
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada ,grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Deena M. A. Gendoo
- grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486Centre for Computational Biology, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK ,grid.6572.60000 0004 1936 7486Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK
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5
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Role of Lipids and Lipid Metabolism in Prostate Cancer Progression and the Tumor’s Immune Environment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14174293. [PMID: 36077824 PMCID: PMC9454444 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14174293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Modulation of lipid metabolism during cancer development and progression is one of the hallmarks of cancer in solid tumors; its importance in prostate cancer (PCa) has been demonstrated in numerous studies. Lipid metabolism is known to interact with androgen receptor signaling, an established driver of PCa progression and castration resistance. Similarly, immune cell infiltration into prostate tissue has been linked with the development and progression of PCa as well as with disturbances in lipid metabolism. Immuno-oncological drugs inhibit immune checkpoints to activate immune cells’ abilities to recognize and destroy cancer cells. These drugs have proved to be successful in treating some solid tumors, but in PCa their efficacy has been poor, with only a small minority of patients demonstrating a treatment response. In this review, we first describe the importance of lipid metabolism in PCa. Second, we collate current information on how modulation of lipid metabolism of cancer cells and the surrounding immune cells may impact the tumor’s immune responses which, in part, may explain the unimpressive results of immune-oncological treatments in PCa.
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6
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Statins and prostate cancer-hype or hope? The biological perspective. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2022; 25:650-656. [PMID: 35768578 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-022-00557-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that men prescribed a statin for cholesterol control have a lower risk of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) and improved treatment outcomes; however, the mechanism by which statins elicit their anti-neoplastic effects is not well understood and is likely multifaceted. Statins are potent and specific inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate (MVA) metabolic pathway. This two-part series is a review of the observational and experimental data on statins as anti-cancer agents in PCa. In this article, we describe the functional role that deregulated MVA metabolism plays in PCa progression and summarize the biological evidence and rationale for targeting the MVA pathway, with statins and other agents, for the treatment of PCa.
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Craig EL, Stopsack KH, Evergren E, Penn LZ, Freedland SJ, Hamilton RJ, Allott EH. Statins and prostate cancer-hype or hope? The epidemiological perspective. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2022; 25:641-649. [PMID: 35732821 PMCID: PMC9705231 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-022-00554-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Men using cholesterol-lowering statin medications have been found to have lower risks of both advanced and fatal prostate cancer in multiple registry-based studies and prospective cohort studies. Statin use has also been associated with longer survival among men already diagnosed with prostate cancer. Mechanisms responsible for purported anti-cancer effects of statins are not well understood but may offer insight into prostate cancer biology. METHODS We summarise epidemiological data from studies of statins and prostate cancer and discuss to what extent these findings can be interpreted as causal. Additionally, lipid-mediated and non-lipid-mediated mechanisms that may contribute to potential anti-cancer effects of statins are reviewed. Finally, we consider treatment settings and molecular subgroups of men who might benefit more than others from statin use in terms of prostate cancer-specific outcomes. RESULTS Data from prospective observational studies generally reported a lower risk of fatal prostate cancer among statin users. There is some evidence for serum cholesterol-lowering as an indirect mechanism linking statins with advanced and fatal prostate cancer. Window-of-opportunity clinical trials show measurable levels of statins in prostate tissue highlighting potential for direct effects, whilst observational data suggest possible statin-driven modulation of prostate microenvironment inflammation. Additionally, emerging data from registry studies support a potential role for statins within the context of androgen deprivation therapy and anti-androgen treatment. CONCLUSION Prospective and registry-based studies support a lower risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer in statin users relative to non-users, as well as better outcomes among prostate cancer patients. The few randomised-controlled trials conducted so far have short follow-up, lack identified molecular subgroups, and do not provide additional support for the observational results. Consequently, additional evidence is required to determine which men may experience greatest benefit in terms of prostate cancer-specific outcomes and how statin effects may vary according to molecular tumour characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Craig
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Konrad H. Stopsack
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Emma Evergren
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Linda Z. Penn
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Stephen J. Freedland
- grid.50956.3f0000 0001 2152 9905Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.410332.70000 0004 0419 9846Section of Urology, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC USA
| | - Robert J. Hamilton
- grid.231844.80000 0004 0474 0428Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Emma H. Allott
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK ,grid.8217.c0000 0004 1936 9705Department of Histopathology and Morbid Anatomy, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Effects of high rosuvastatin doses on hepatocyte mitochondria of hypercholesterolemic mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15809. [PMID: 34349148 PMCID: PMC8338935 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Statins are the cornerstone of therapy for individuals with hyperlipidemia. The aim of this study was to analyze the undesirable effects of mild, moderate and high doses of rosuvastatin in CD-1 male mice who received a cholesterol-rich diet, focusing on the morphological and functional changes on hepatocyte mitochondria. In a mouse model we studied the combined administration of a cholesterol-rich diet along with mild and moderate doses of rosuvastatin (1, 2.5 or 5 mg/kg/day) during several days. After the animals were sacrificed, liver mitochondria were isolated for microscopic studies and to analyze the respiratory function. The respiratory control (state-3/state-4) was evaluated in mice who received high doses of rosuvastatin. Rosuvastatin doses higher than 20 mg/kg/day induced premature death in mice with a hypercholesterolemic diet, but not in mice with a cholesterol-free diet. Doses from 2.5 to 5 mg/kg/day also induced morphological and functional alterations in mitochondria but these hypercholesterolemic animals survived longer. Giving 1 mg/kg/day, which is close to the maximal therapeutic dose for humans, did not affect mitochondrial architecture or respiratory function after two months of treatment. We analyzed the effect of rosuvastatin on hepatic tissue because it is where statins are mainly accumulated and it is the main site of endogenous cholesterol synthesis. Our results contribute to understand the side effects of rosuvastatin in hypercholesterolemic mice, effects that could also affect humans who are intolerant to statins.
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9
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Tilija Pun N, Jeong CH. Statin as a Potential Chemotherapeutic Agent: Current Updates as a Monotherapy, Combination Therapy, and Treatment for Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14050470. [PMID: 34065757 PMCID: PMC8156779 DOI: 10.3390/ph14050470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is incurable because progressive phenotypic and genotypic changes in cancer cells lead to resistance and recurrence. This indicates the need for the development of new drugs or alternative therapeutic strategies. The impediments associated with new drug discovery have necessitated drug repurposing (i.e., the use of old drugs for new therapeutic indications), which is an economical, safe, and efficacious approach as it is emerged from clinical drug development or may even be marketed with a well-established safety profile and optimal dosing. Statins are inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase in cholesterol biosynthesis and are used in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, and obesity. As cholesterol is linked to the initiation and progression of cancer, statins have been extensively used in cancer therapy with a concept of drug repurposing. Many studies including in vitro and in vivo have shown that statin has been used as monotherapy to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. Moreover, it has been used as a combination therapy to mediate synergistic action to overcome anti-cancer drug resistance as well. In this review, the recent explorations are done in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials to address the action of statin either single or in combination with anti-cancer drugs to improve the chemotherapy of the cancers were discussed. Here, we discussed the emergence of statin as a lipid-lowering drug; its use to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis as a monotherapy; and its use in combination with anti-cancer drugs for its synergistic action to overcome anti-cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, we discuss the clinical trials of statins and the current possibilities and limitations of preclinical and clinical investigations.
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10
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Stopsack KH. Statins and Prostate Cancer: Bias, Precision Medicine, or Population Health? Eur Urol 2021; 79:453-455. [PMID: 33551298 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Konrad H Stopsack
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Cardoso HJ, Carvalho TMA, Fonseca LRS, Figueira MI, Vaz CV, Socorro S. Revisiting prostate cancer metabolism: From metabolites to disease and therapy. Med Res Rev 2020; 41:1499-1538. [PMID: 33274768 DOI: 10.1002/med.21766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa), one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, still presents important unmet clinical needs concerning treatment. In the last years, the metabolic reprogramming and the specificities of tumor cells emerged as an exciting field for cancer therapy. The unique features of PCa cells metabolism, and the activation of specific metabolic pathways, propelled the use of metabolic inhibitors for treatment. The present work revises the knowledge of PCa metabolism and the metabolic alterations that underlie the development and progression of the disease. A focus is given to the role of bioenergetic sources, namely, glucose, lipids, and glutamine sustaining PCa cell survival and growth. Moreover, it is described as the action of oncogenes/tumor suppressors and sex steroid hormones in the metabolic reprogramming of PCa. Finally, the status of PCa treatment based on the inhibition of metabolic pathways is presented. Globally, this review updates the landscape of PCa metabolism, highlighting the critical metabolic alterations that could have a clinical and therapeutic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique J Cardoso
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Tiago M A Carvalho
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Lara R S Fonseca
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Marília I Figueira
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Cátia V Vaz
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Socorro
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
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12
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Longo J, van Leeuwen JE, Elbaz M, Branchard E, Penn LZ. Statins as Anticancer Agents in the Era of Precision Medicine. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:5791-5800. [PMID: 32887721 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-1967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Statins are widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs that inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate metabolic pathway. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that certain cancers depend on the mevalonate pathway for growth and survival, and, therefore, are vulnerable to statin therapy. However, these immediately available, well-tolerated, and inexpensive drugs have yet to be successfully repurposed and integrated into cancer patient care. In this review, we highlight recent advances and outline important considerations for advancing statins to clinical trials in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Longo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jenna E van Leeuwen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohamad Elbaz
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Branchard
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linda Z Penn
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Circulatory and prostatic tissue lipidomic profiles shifts after high-dose atorvastatin use in men with prostate cancer. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12016. [PMID: 32694638 PMCID: PMC7374714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68868-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer patients using cholesterol-lowering statins have 30% lower risk of prostate cancer death compared to non-users. The effect is attributed to the inhibition of the mevalonate pathway in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, statin use causes lipoprotein metabolism changes in the serum. Statin effect on serum or intraprostatic lipidome profiles in prostate cancer patients has not been explored. We studied changes in the serum metabolomic and prostatic tissue lipidome after high-dose 80 mg atorvastatin intervention to expose biological mechanisms causing the observed survival benefit. Our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial consisted of 103 Finnish men with prostate cancer. We observed clear difference in post-intervention serum lipoprotein lipid profiles between the study arms (median classification error 11.7%). The atorvastatin effect on intraprostatic lipid profile was not as clear (median classification error 44.7%), although slightly differing lipid profiles by treatment arm was observed, which became more pronounced in men who used atorvastatin above the median of 27 days (statin group median classification error 27.2%). Atorvastatin lowers lipids important for adaptation for hypoxic microenvironment in the prostate suggesting that prostate cancer cell survival benefit associated with statin use might be mediated by both, local and systemic, lipidomic/metabolomic profile changes.
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Longo J, Hamilton RJ, Masoomian M, Khurram N, Branchard E, Mullen PJ, Elbaz M, Hersey K, Chadwick D, Ghai S, Andrews DW, Chen EX, van der Kwast TH, Fleshner NE, Penn LZ. A pilot window-of-opportunity study of preoperative fluvastatin in localized prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2020; 23:630-637. [PMID: 32203069 PMCID: PMC7655503 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-020-0221-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Statins inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway. Epidemiological and pre-clinical evidence support an association between statin use and delayed prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Here, we evaluated the effects of neoadjuvant fluvastatin treatment on markers of cell proliferation and apoptosis in men with localized PCa. Methods Thirty-three men were treated daily with 80 mg fluvastatin for 4–12 weeks in a single-arm window-of-opportunity study between diagnosis of localized PCa and radical prostatectomy (RP) (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01992042). Percent Ki67 and cleaved Caspase-3 (CC3)-positive cells in tumor tissues were evaluated in 23 patients by immunohistochemistry before and after treatment. Serum and intraprostatic fluvastatin concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results Baseline characteristics included a median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 6.48 ng/mL (IQR: 4.21–10.33). The median duration of fluvastatin treatment was 49 days (range: 27–102). Median serum low-density lipoprotein levels decreased by 35% after treatment, indicating patient compliance. Median PSA decreased by 12%, but this was not statistically significant in our small cohort. The mean fluvastatin concentration measured in the serum was 0.2 μM (range: 0.0–1.1 μM), and in prostatic tissue was 8.5 nM (range: 0.0–77.0 nM). At these concentrations, fluvastatin induced PCa cell death in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In patients, fluvastatin treatment did not significantly alter intratumoral Ki67 positivity; however, a median 2.7-fold increase in CC3 positivity (95% CI: 1.9–5.0, p = 0.007) was observed in post-fluvastatin RP tissues compared with matched pre-treatment biopsy controls. In a subset analysis, this increase in CC3 was more pronounced in men on fluvastatin for >50 days. Conclusions Fluvastatin prior to RP achieves measurable drug concentrations in prostatic tissue and is associated with promising effects on tumor cell apoptosis. These data warrant further investigation into the anti-neoplastic effects of statins in prostate tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Longo
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert J Hamilton
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, University Health Network & University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mehdi Masoomian
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Najia Khurram
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, University Health Network & University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emily Branchard
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter J Mullen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohamad Elbaz
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karen Hersey
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, University Health Network & University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dianne Chadwick
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sangeet Ghai
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Joint Department of Medical Imaging, Mount Sinai Hospital & University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David W Andrews
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Eric X Chen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Theodorus H van der Kwast
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Neil E Fleshner
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, University Health Network & University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Linda Z Penn
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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