We have investigated the inhibition of cell growth by lovastatin (previously known as mevinolin), an antagonist of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase which blocks the processing and membrane localization of ras proteins via inhibition of polyisoprenylation. A series of NIH 3T3 cells transformed by oncogenes with activities that are dependent or independent of isoprenylated ras were stud...

Statins have been shown to be cardioprotective; however, their interaction with endogenous cardioprotection by ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning is not known. In the present study, we examined if acute and chronic administration of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase inhibitor lovastatin affected the infarct size-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning and postcondition...

Statins are widely used as medication to lower cholesterol levels in human patients. In addition, it was recently reported that they also reduce the incidence of stroke and progression of Alzheimer's disease when prophylactically administered. To date there is only limited information available on how statins exert this beneficial effect. In this study we investigated the neuroprotective effect...

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more aggressive and has poorer prognosis compared to other subtypes of cancer. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) a process in which epithelial cells transform into mesenchymal-like capable migration, invasion, metastasis. Recently, we have demonstrated that lovastatin, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor lipid-lowering drug,...

We have shown previously that lovastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methyl- glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, induces apoptosis in spontaneously immortalized rat brain neuroblasts. In the present study, we analysed the intracellular signal transduction pathways by which lovastatin induces neuroblast apoptosis. We showed that lovastatin efficiently inhibited Ras activation, which was associated with ...

The cancer killing efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin (CDDP) is limited by their side effects to normal tissues. Therefore, research efforts optimizing the safety and efficacy of those agents are clinically relevant. We did screen for agents that specifically protect normal human mesothelial cells against CDDP without reducing the cancer cell killing efficacy. Lovast...

Fuzhuan brick tea is a dark produced using plant leaves, and its quality strongly affected by Eurotium cristatum. The superior cristatum strain could enhance functional components in tea, improving economic value. To research the lipid-lowering substance of from Anhua country production area, several wild-type strains were screened for lovastatin production. Of all 20 strains, 6 produce lovasta...

the aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of fenugreek (trigonella foenum-graecum) with that of lovastatin in restoration of endothelia function in the aorta taken form aged n-mair rats. for this purpose, 4 groups of old n-mari rats were used (n=6), normal saline treated control group, lovastatin (10 mg/kg, orally) and fengreek seed powder in normal saline suspension (100 or 500 mg...

The goals of this work were to establish a reproducible and effective model of apoptosis in a cell line derived from advanced prostate cancer and to study the role of the caspase family of proteases in mediating apoptosis in this system. The study involved the use of the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. Apoptosis was induced using the hydroxymethyl glutaryl CoA reductase inhibitor, lovastatin, ...