TY - JOUR
T1 - Inhibition of human breast cancer cell growth by blockade of the mevalonate-protein prenylation pathway is not prevented by overexpression of cyclin D1
AU - Germano, D.
AU - Pacilio, C.
AU - Cancemi, M.
AU - Cicatiello, L.
AU - Altucci, L.
AU - Belsito Petrizzi, V.
AU - Sperandio, C.
AU - Salzano, S.
AU - Michalides, R. J A M
AU - Taya, Y.
AU - Bresciani, F.
AU - Weisz, A.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Overexpression of the cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene, encoding a downstream effector of mitogenic signals that plays a central role in G1 phase progression, is often found in cancerous cells. In sporadic breast cancer (BC), this is one of the most frequent and early genetic lesions identified so far, found in more than 50% of the tumors. Inhibitors of the mevalonate/protein prenylation pathway belong to a new family of cancer therapeutic agents that act by blocking intracellular mitogenic signal transduction pathways, thereby preventing expansion of pre-cancerous foci and inhibiting growth of transformed cells. It is not known at present whether constitutively high intracellular levels of cyclin D1 might interfere with the cytostatic actions of mevalonate/protein prenylation inhibitors. This possibility was investigated here by assessing the cell cycle effects of Simvastatin, a non-toxic upstream inhibitor of the mevalonate pathway, on human BC MCF-7 cells expressing either normal or enhanced levels of cyclin D1 from of a stably transfected, tet-inducible expression vector. Results show that constitutive overexpression of this protein, such as that found in sporadic BCs, does not influence the growth inhibitory effects of Simvastatin in vitro. In addition, D1-overexpressing embryo fibroblasts were also found to be responsive to the cell cycle effects of mevalonate/protein prenylation pathway blockade, further suggesting that high intracellular levels of cyclin D1 do not prevent the cytostatic actions of compounds targeting this metabolic pathway.
AB - Overexpression of the cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene, encoding a downstream effector of mitogenic signals that plays a central role in G1 phase progression, is often found in cancerous cells. In sporadic breast cancer (BC), this is one of the most frequent and early genetic lesions identified so far, found in more than 50% of the tumors. Inhibitors of the mevalonate/protein prenylation pathway belong to a new family of cancer therapeutic agents that act by blocking intracellular mitogenic signal transduction pathways, thereby preventing expansion of pre-cancerous foci and inhibiting growth of transformed cells. It is not known at present whether constitutively high intracellular levels of cyclin D1 might interfere with the cytostatic actions of mevalonate/protein prenylation inhibitors. This possibility was investigated here by assessing the cell cycle effects of Simvastatin, a non-toxic upstream inhibitor of the mevalonate pathway, on human BC MCF-7 cells expressing either normal or enhanced levels of cyclin D1 from of a stably transfected, tet-inducible expression vector. Results show that constitutive overexpression of this protein, such as that found in sporadic BCs, does not influence the growth inhibitory effects of Simvastatin in vitro. In addition, D1-overexpressing embryo fibroblasts were also found to be responsive to the cell cycle effects of mevalonate/protein prenylation pathway blockade, further suggesting that high intracellular levels of cyclin D1 do not prevent the cytostatic actions of compounds targeting this metabolic pathway.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Cell cycle
KW - Cyclin D1
KW - Estrogen
KW - HMG-CoA reductase
KW - Protein prenylation
KW - Retinoblastoma protein
KW - Simvastatin
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U2 - 10.1023/A:1010675310188
DO - 10.1023/A:1010675310188
M3 - Article
C2 - 11518463
AN - SCOPUS:0034899385
VL - 67
SP - 23
EP - 33
JO - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
JF - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
SN - 0167-6806
IS - 1
ER -