title: Lovastatin induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in human malignant glioma cells.
abstract: The competitive HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor lovastatin has been shown to suppress growth and induce morphological changes in a variety of non-glioma tumor cell lines. This study assesses the effects of this agent on the growth and survival of the human malignant glioma cell lines A172 and U87-MG. The response to the drug was investigated using a cell proliferation assay which revealed significant dose-dependent growth inhibition. Treatment with as little as 100 nM lovastatin over a period of 72 hours led to DNA degradation into nucleosome-sized fragments characteristic of apoptosis. Our data suggest that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors such as lovastatin merit further investigation as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of malignant gliomas.
authors: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033.
authors: K D
authors: KD
authors: Jones
authors: W T
authors: WT
authors: Couldwell
authors: D R
authors: DR
authors: Hinton
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Su
authors: S
authors: S
authors: He
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Anker
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Law
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017368:Protein Prenylation / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D008148:Lovastatin