Microenvironment factors do not afford myeloma cell lines protection from simvastatin.
BACKGROUND
The intensive interactions of myeloma cells (multiple myeloma, MM) with microenvironmental components of the bone marrow contribute significantly to their proliferation and survival. It has been shown that these signals confer drug resistance, delineating their circumvention as a primary objective in disease treatment. This study was designed to assess the effect of some major extracellular factors on the previously established anti-neoplastic response of myeloma cells to simvastatin (Sim).


METHODS
RPMI8226, U266, and ARH77 seeded in culture plates precoated with fibronectin (FN)/agarose/none were treated with Sim, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), interleukin-6 (IL-6) or combinations for 5 d. Then we assessed cell morphology, viability (WST1), cell cycle (propidium iodide, PI, staining and flow cytometric analysis), total cell count, and cell death (trypan blue exclusion), and DNA fragmentation.


CONCLUSIONS
Reduced viability was demonstrated with Sim in all treated cell lines with and without co-administration of IGF-I or IL-6 (P < 0.05). The extent of inhibition did not vary between Sim only and combinations (NS). FN did not influence cell response to Sim alone or combined with IL-6/IGF-I (NS). We conclude that IL-6, IGF-I, and FN do not afford myeloma cell lines protection from Sim modulation.
Oncogenetic Laboratory, Sapir Medical Center, Meir Hospital, Kfar Sava, Israel.
Alla
A
Osadchy
Liat
L
Drucker
Judith
J
Radnay
Hava
H
Shapira
Michael
M
Lishner
D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000494:pharmacology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005353:Fibronectins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D019821:Simvastatin