title: Potent inhibition of small-cell lung cancer cell growth by simvastatin reveals selective functions of Ras isoforms in growth factor signalling.
abstract: The impact of the 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl CoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin on human small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell growth and survival was investigated. Simvastatin profoundly impaired basal and growth factor-stimulated SCLC cell growth in vitro and induced apoptosis. SCLC cells treated with simvastatin were sensitized to the effects of the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide. Moreover, SCLC tumour growth in vivo was inhibited by simvastatin. These responses correlated with the inhibition of stem cell factor (SCF)-stimulated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), protein kinase B (PKB) and ribosomal S6 kinase by simvastatin. Constitutive activation of the Erk pathway was sufficient to rescue SCLC cell from the effects of simvastatin. The drug did not directly affect activation of c-Kit or its localization to lipid rafts, but in addition to its ability to block Ras membrane localization, it selectively downregulated H-Ras protein levels at the post-translational level. Downregulation of either H- or K-Ras by RNA interference (RNAi) did not impair Erk activation by growth factors, whereas an RNAi specific for N-Ras inhibited activation of Erk, PKB and SCLC cell growth. Together our data demonstrate that inhibiting Ras signalling with simvastatin potently disrupts growth and survival in human SCLC cells.
authors.affiliation: Lung Cancer Biology Group, Division of Medicine, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: U K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Khanzada
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Pardo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Downward
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Seckl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D006133:Growth Substances; D005047:Etoposide; D019821:Simvastatin; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins