Regulatory mechanisms of fluvastatin and lovastatin for the p21 induction in human cervical cancer HeLa cells

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 2;14(4):e0214408. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214408. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

p21, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase, functions as an oncogene or tumor suppressor depending on the context of a variety of extracellular and intracellular signals. The expression of p21 could be regulated at the transcriptional and/or post-translational levels. The p21 gene is well-known to be regulated in both p53-dependent and -independent manners. However, the detailed regulatory mechanisms of p21 messenger RNA and protein expression via statins remain unknown, and the possible application of statins as anticancer reagents remains to be controversial. Our data showed that the statins-fluvastatin and lovastatin-induced p21 expression as general histone deacetylase inhibitors in a p53-independent manner, which is mediated through various pathways, such as apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle progression, and DNA damage, to be involved in the function of p21 in HeLa cells. The curative effect repositioning of digoxin, a cardiovascular medication, was combined with fluvastatin and lovastatin, and the results further implied that p21 induction is involved in a p53-dependent and p53-independent manner. Digoxin modified the effects of statins on ATF3, p21, p53, and cyclin D1 expression, while fluvastatin boosted its DNA damage effect and lovastatin impeded its DNA damage effect. Fluvastatin and lovastatin combined with digoxin further support the localization specificity of their interactivity with our subcellular localization data. This study will not only clarify the regulatory mechanisms of p21 induction by statins but will also shed light on the repurposing of widely cardiovascular medications for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activating Transcription Factor 3 / genetics
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Autophagy / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cyclin D1 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / genetics*
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • Female
  • Fluvastatin / pharmacology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • HeLa Cells
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Lovastatin / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • ATF3 protein, human
  • Activating Transcription Factor 3
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Cyclin D1
  • Fluvastatin
  • Lovastatin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology [MOST 106–2314–B–016–042 and 107–2314–B–016–036 to C-C Chang], the Tri-Service General Hospital [TSGH–C107–083 to C-C Chang], and the Ministry of National Defense-Medical Affairs Bureau [MAB–107–010 to S-M HUANG], Taiwan, ROC”. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.