title: [The anticancer properties of statins].
abstract: Statins inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, which catalyzes the conversion of 3-HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. These drugs are currently used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and brain stroke. Recently it has been indicated that statins have cytostatic and cytotoxic properties on several type of cancer cell lines. Inhibition of the synthesis of isoprenoid intermediates of the mevalonate pathway has been thought to be an important mechanism whereby statins exert proapoptotic, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic action on human tumor cells. This review describes the anticancer activity of statins on the basis of numerous in vitro and in vivo experiments and focuses on their clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Zakład Biologii Komórki, Instytutu Biologii, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie, ul. Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin. adnas@wp.pl
authors.forename: Adrianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sławińska
authors.forename: Martyna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kandefer-Szerszeń
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013729:Terpenes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D013729:Terpenes; D008798:Mevalonic Acid