Background: Lovastatin, a type of statin usually considered as a lipid-lowering drug that lowers blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, has been rediscovered to have anticancer activity. Fewer studies exist regarding the effect of lovastatin on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods: Here, we report that lovastatin shows anticancer effect on ESCC By affecting the mitochondrial autophagy pathway. Moreover, based on proteomics and computer molecular simulations found that RAB38 and RAB27A may be a target of lovastatin.
Results: We observed that autophagy of mitochondria is inhibited by lovastatin, affecting esophageal squamous cell proliferation. There is a possible link between the expression of RAB38, RAB27A and immune cell invasion in esophageal cancer.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate the huge potential of lovastatin as an RAB38, RAB27A inhibitor in esophageal cancer chemotherapy and chemoprevention.
Keywords: chemotherapy; esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; lovastatin; mitochondrial autophagy; proteomics.
© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.