Lovastatin overcomes gefitinib resistance in human non-small cell lung cancer cells with K-Ras mutations

Invest New Drugs. 2010 Dec;28(6):791-9. doi: 10.1007/s10637-009-9319-4. Epub 2009 Sep 17.

Abstract

Lovastatin is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor. Its inhibitory action on HMG-CoA reductase leads to depletion of isoprenoids, which inhibits post-translational modification of RAS. In this study, we investigated the effect of combining lovastatin with gefitinib on gefitinib-resistant human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines with K-Ras mutations. Antitumor effects were measured by growth inhibition and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Effects on apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry, DNA fragmentation, and immunoblots. Protein levels of RAS, AKT/pAKT, and RAF/ERK1/2 in cancer cells were analyzed by immunoblot. Compared with gefitinib alone, a combination of gefitinib with lovastatin showed significantly enhanced cell growth inhibition and cytotoxicity in gefitinib-resistant A549 and NCI-H460 human NSCLC cells. In addition, lovastatin combination treatment significantly increased gefitinib-related apoptosis, as determined by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometric analysis. These effects correlated with up-regulation of cleaved caspase-3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and Bax and down-regulation of Bcl-2. The combination of lovastatin and gefitinib effectively down-regulated RAS protein and suppressed the phosphorylation of RAF, ERK1/2, AKT, and EGFR in both cell lines. Taken together, these results suggest lovastatin can overcome gefitinib resistance, in NSCLC cells with K-Ras mutations, by down regulation of RAS protein, which leads to inhibition of both RAF/ERK and AKT pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Synergism
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Gefitinib
  • Humans
  • Lovastatin / pharmacology*
  • Lovastatin / therapeutic use
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology*
  • Quinazolines / therapeutic use
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • ras Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • KRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Quinazolines
  • Lovastatin
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • ras Proteins
  • Gefitinib