Search for key role-players on the efficacy of statins using statin-sensitive cancers

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23926
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0901:Oncology and related fields
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Warita Tomoko 関西学院大学, 理工学部, 講師 (00753112)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: スタチン系薬剤 / ドラッグリポジショニング / スタチン感受性 / ワールブルグ効果 / がん細胞 / 解糖系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis having shown significant changes in glycolysis-related metabolites in statin-treated cancer cells, the effect of statins on the Warburg effect in cancer cells was analyzed. It was shown that glucose uptake was not suppressed by statin treatment in statin-resistant cancer cells, which may be one of the factors leading to statin resistance. In addition, as a specific change to statin-sensitive cancer cells, a decrease in the expression of phosphofructokinase, which is a rate-limiting factor of glycolysis, was observed. The results of the present study suggest that statin exposure causes inhibition of the Warburg effect in statin-sensitive cancer cells.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

スタチンは脂質異常症の治療薬としての実績があり、かつ副作用のデータも膨大であるため、ドラッグリポジショニングによるがん治療への応用が期待される薬剤である。しかし、スタチン適応がんを診断するための確固たる科学的根拠が十分でないことから、臨床応用に至っていない。本研究では、がん細胞のスタチン感受性を反映する分子を絞り込み、臨床応用に結び付けるための解決すべき必須課題であるスタチン適応がんの的確な評価を試みたことに意義がある。