查看文章

The statin drugs (‘statins’) potently inhibit hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase by competitively blocking the active site of the enzyme. Statins decrease de novo cholesterol biosynthesis and thereby reduce plasma cholesterol levels. Statins exhibit “pleiotropic” properties that are independent of their lipid-lowering effects. For example, preclinical evidence suggests that statins inhibit tumor growth and induce apoptosis in specific cancer cell types. Furthermore, statins show chemo-sensitizing effects by impairing Ras family GTPase signaling. However, whether statins have clinically meaningful anti-cancer effects remains an area of active investigation. Both preclinical and clinical studies on the potential mechanisms of action of statins in several cancers have been reviewed in the literature. Considering the contradictory data on their efficacy, we present an up-to-date summary of the pleiotropic …