Lovastatin- Cyclopamine Combo Kills Brain Cancer Cells
Lovastatin (trade name: Mevacor) is a cholesterol lowering drug while cyclopamine is a cancer drug.
Cyclopamine works by blocking the so-called “hedgehog” pathway, long known to promote and guide cell and organ growth while lovastatin (aside from cholesterol-clogging effects) is known to curb destruction of proteins that put the brakes on cell growth, causing cancer cells to self-destruct through a process called apoptosis.
The unlikely pair of these two compounds has been found by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center to dramatically kill brain cancer cells.
Once the hedgehog is blocked by cyclopamine, the cancer cells become more susceptible to lovastatin.
The study was conducted on medulloblastoma cells grown in the laboratory.
Medullolastoma is the most common primary brain tumor in children. Only 50% of children with medulloblastoma survive who may suffer debilitating side effects caused by current toxic therapies.
Though yet to be tested in laboratory animals and humans, the tumor cell-killing by the combo is truly promising.
According to Charles Eberhart, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of pathology, ophthalmology and oncology:
“We already knew from earlier research that hedgehog controls brain cell survival and growth, and that blocking signals in this pathway may stop uncontrolled growth of cancer cells.
But the new work shows the hedgehog blockade may halt another powerful cell-survival signal, and lovastatin could provide the added boost necessary to kill more cancer cells.”
Source: Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Tags: brain-cancer-cells, cyclopamine, lovastatin, medulloblastomaRelated Stories
POSTED IN: on anti-cancer ingredients, on brain cancer
1 opinion for Lovastatin- Cyclopamine Combo Kills Brain Cancer Cells
Garrossian
Apr 21, 2007 at 11:33 am
I am producer of the best quality of Cyclopamine In Logan, Utah. Impure cyclopamine will cause damage to research, and cause unreliable results.
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