USF-LVHN SELECT

Effects of Lovastatin on Brain Cancer Cells.

Publication/Presentation Date

1-1-2022

Abstract

Although brain tumors occur less frequently than other forms of cancer, they have one of the bleakest prognoses with low survival rates. The conventional treatment for brain tumors includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, resistance to treatment remains a problem with recurrence shortly following. The resistance to treatment may be caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subset of brain tumor cells with the affinity for self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell lineages. An emerging approach to targeting CSCs in brain tumors is through repurposing the lipid-lowering medication, lovastatin. Lovastatin is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor that impacts the mevalonate pathway. The inhibition of intermediates in the mevalonate pathway affects signaling cascades and oncogenes associated with brain tumor stem cells (BTSC). In this review, we show the possible mechanisms where lovastatin can target BTSC for different varieties of malignant brain tumors.

Volume

31

First Page

9636897221102903

Last Page

9636897221102903

ISSN

1555-3892

Disciplines

Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

35670207

Department(s)

USF-LVHN SELECT Program, USF-LVHN SELECT Program Students

Document Type

Article

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