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Ivermectin inhibits tumor metastasis by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin/integrin β1/FAK signaling pathway

Lu Jiang1,2, Ying-Jian Sun3, Xiao-Hua Song1

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, Institute of Zoology, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100101, China.

American Journal of Cancer Research
|November 16, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Ivermectin (IVM), an antiparasitic drug, effectively inhibits cancer cell migration and metastasis in preclinical models. This study supports exploring IVM for anti-metastasis cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Tumor metastasis is a primary driver of cancer-related mortality.
  • Effective anti-metastasis therapies are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
  • Ivermectin (IVM), an FDA-approved antiparasitic, is explored for novel therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of ivermectin (IVM) as an anti-metastasis agent.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of IVM in inhibiting cancer cell motility and tumor metastasis.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying IVM's anti-metastatic effects.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized colorectal and breast cancer cell lines for in vitro studies.
  • Employed a xenograft tumor metastasis model for in vivo evaluation.
  • Analyzed the expression of migration-related proteins and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

  • Ivermectin significantly inhibited cancer cell motility in vitro.
  • IVM demonstrated significant suppression of tumor metastasis in vivo.
  • Mechanistically, IVM suppressed Wnt/β-catenin/integrin β1/FAK signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Ivermectin exhibits potent anti-metastatic properties in preclinical cancer models.
  • IVM's mechanism involves the inhibition of key migration-related signaling cascades.
  • These findings provide a strong rationale for investigating IVM in clinical settings for cancer metastasis prevention and treatment.
Keywords:
Cancer metastasisHCT-8Wnt/β-catenin/integrin β1/FAKanti-metastasisavermectinbreast cancercolorectal cancerxenograft model

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