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Atorvastatin Inhibits Viability and Migration of MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells
Reyhaneh Abolghasemi1,2, Somayeh Ebrahimi-Barough3, Naghmeh Bahrami3,4
11Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Objective:
Atorvastatin is commonly used as a lipid lowering drug. The emerging interest in statins as anticancer agents is based on their pleiotropic effects on cancer cells. Among the statins, atorvastatin, and in cancers, breast malignancies have received less attention in preclinical investigations. In order to enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment, adjuvant, less expensive therapeutic strategies have been recently noticed. In this case, we investigated the in-vitro effect of atorvastatin on viability and migration of MCF7 breast cancer cell line.
Methods:
We tested the cytotoxicity of atorvastatin on breast cancer cells survival by MTT assay. Annexin-V / PI staining and then flow cytometry of cancer cells in addition to quantitative real-time PCR tests quantified the apoptosis and necrosis of cancer cells. We figured out the impact of atorvastatin on cancer cell migration capability through scratch-wound healing assay and transwell migration examination. Inverted light microscope and fluorescent imaging displayed the morphological changes following treatment of MCF7 cells with atorvastatin.
Result:
We resulted that atorvastatin can trigger MCF7 cancer cells to undergo necrosis and caspase-dependent apoptosis based on the viable/dead cell number, mitotic cell cycle, gene expression, and morphological assays. The results were dose- and time-dependent and the half- maximal inhibitory concentration of atorvastatin for cancer cells' viability inhibition was 9.1 μM/L(nM/mL). Moreover, the migration of MCF7 cells were inhibited in the treated group as we figured out in two- and three-dimensional migration methods.
Conclusion:
In-vitro inspection of drug-cancer cell interactions paves the way for future in-vivo research studies. These in-vitro results revealed that atorvastatin has anti-viability and anti-migration effects on breast cancer cells.
Insights
Atorvastatin demonstrates anti-cancer effects by reducing breast cancer cell viability and migration. This study investigated its in-vitro impact on MCF7 cells, revealing potential as an adjuvant therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Statins, including atorvastatin, are increasingly recognized for their pleiotropic effects beyond lipid-lowering, showing potential as anticancer agents.
- Breast cancer research has limited preclinical investigation into atorvastatin's specific anticancer properties.
- There is a growing need for inexpensive adjuvant therapies to enhance current cancer treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in-vitro effects of atorvastatin on the viability and migration of the MCF7 human breast cancer cell line.
- To explore atorvastatin as a potential adjuvant therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT assays.
- Apoptosis and necrosis were quantified via Annexin-V/PI staining and flow cytometry.
- Cancer cell migration was evaluated using scratch-wound healing and transwell assays, alongside morphological analysis.
Main Results:
- Atorvastatin induced dose- and time-dependent necrosis and caspase-dependent apoptosis in MCF7 cells.
- The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for viability inhibition was determined to be 9.1 μM/L.
- Atorvastatin significantly inhibited both two- and three-dimensional migration of MCF7 breast cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- In-vitro findings indicate atorvastatin possesses anti-viability and anti-migration properties against breast cancer cells.
- These results support further in-vivo research into atorvastatin's potential as an adjuvant breast cancer therapy.
