Effect of lovastatin on proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cells

Wen Gong-ling; Wen Chang-ming; Wang Yan-ping; Kang Mei-juan; Zhou Jing; Zhang Bao-chao

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2016.32.010

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Increasing evidence has shown that lovastatin with less toxicity to normal cels has crucial effects on proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of various cancer cels. However, its roles in glioma stem cels remain unclear. <br> OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of lovastatin on proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cels. <br> METHODS: Flow cytometric sorting was used to separate glioma stem cels from human glioblastoma cel line U87. Effects of lovastatin on the proliferation and apoptosis of glioma stem cels were determined by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, expression levels of Ki67, Bax and Bcl-2 in glioma stem cels treated with lovastatin were detected using western blot analysis. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The CD133-positive glioma stem cels were sorted from human glioblastoma cel line U87 with a positive percentage of 85%. MTT assay showed that lovastatin inhibited the proliferation of glioma stem cels in dose (5, 10, 20 μmol/L)- and time (24, 48, 72, 96 hours)-dependent manners. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 10 μmol/L lovastatin (48 hours) induced apoptosis in glioma stem cels. In addition, the expression level of Ki67 was decreased by lovastatin treatment in a dose-dependent manner, and the Bcl-2 and Bax expression levels were reduced and increased by 10 μmol/L lovastatin treatment, respectively. In conclusion, lovastatin can inhibit cel proliferation and induce apoptosis of glioma stem cels, and lovastatin may be a potential drug for treatment of brain tumors.