title: Effect of rosuvastatin on arginase enzyme activity and polyamine production in experimental breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumour of women around the world. As a key enzyme of the urea cycle, arginase leads to the formation of urea and ornithine from L-arginine. In the patients with several different cancers, arginase has been found to be higher and reported to be a useful biological marker.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of rosuvastatin on serum and cancer tissue arginase enzyme activity, and ornithine and polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal experiment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 50 male Balb/c mice were used. Erchlich acid tumour cells were injected into the subcutaneous part of their left foot. The mice were divided into five groups: healthy control group, healthy treatment, tumour control, treatment 1 and treatment 2. Then, 1 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg doses of rosuvastatin were given intraperitoneally. Serum and tissue arginase enzyme activities and tissue ornithine levels were determined spectrophotometrically. HPLC measurement of polyamines were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased serum arginase activity and polyamine levels were significantly decreased with rosuvastatin treatment. In the tumour tissue, arginase activity and ornithine levels were significantly decreased in treatment groups compared to the tumour group. Tissue polyamine levels also decreased with rosuvastatin treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that rosuvastatin may have some protective effects on breast cancer development as it inhibits arginase enzyme activity and ornithine levels, precursors of polyamines, and also polyamine levels. This protective effect may be through the induction of nitric oxide (NO) production via nitric oxide synthase (NOS). As a promising anticancer agent, the net effects of rosuvastatin in this mechanism should be supported with more advanced studies and new parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erbaş
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erol
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Çakır
keywords: Arginase; breast cancer; ornithine; polyamines; rosuvastatin