Mechanistic Study of Inhibitory Effects of Metformin and Atorvastatin in Combination on Prostate Cancer Cells in Vitro and in Vivo.

Abstract

Metformin is a commonly used drug for the treatment of type II diabetes and atorvastatin is the most prescribed cholesterol-lowering statin. The present study investigated the effects and mechanisms of metformin and atorvastatin in combination on human prostate cancer cells cultured in vitro and grown as xenograft tumor in vivo. Metformin in combination with atorvastatin had stronger effects on growth inhibition and apoptosis in PC-3 cells than either drug alone. The combination also potently inhibited cell migration and the formation of tumorspheres. Metformin and atorvastatin in combination had a potent inhibitory effect on nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activity and caused strong decreases in the expression of its downstream anti-apoptotic gene Survivin. Moreover, strong decreases in the levels of phospho-Akt and phosphor-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk)1/2 were found in the cells treated with the combination. The in vivo study showed that treatment of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice with metformin or atorvastatin alone resulted in moderate inhibition of tumor growth while the combination strongly inhibited the growth of the tumors. Results of the present study indicate the combination of metformin and atorvastatin may be an effective strategy for inhibiting the growth of prostate cancer and should be evaluated clinically.

• Authors: Zhen-Shi Wang, Hua-Rong Huang, Lan-Yue Zhang, Seungkee Kim, Yan He, Dong-Li Li, Chelsea Farischon, Kun Zhang, Xi Zheng, Zhi-Yun Du, Susan Goodin
• Journal: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin (Biol Pharm Bull) Vol. 40 Issue 8 Pg. 1247-1254 ( 2017) ISSN: 1347-5215 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 28769006 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• BIRC5 protein, human
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
• NF-kappa B
• Survivin
• Metformin
• Atorvastatin
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Atorvastatin (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases (metabolism)
• Humans
• Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Hypoglycemic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (metabolism)
• Male
• Metformin (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Mice, SCID
• NF-kappa B (metabolism)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (metabolism)
• Survivin
• Tumor Burden (drug effects)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays