Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23648017›Full record

ArticleOral oncology2013

Atorvastatin inhibits RhoC function and limits head and neck cancer metastasis.

Mozaffarul Islam, Smita Sharma, Bhavna Kumar, Theodoros N Teknos

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Oral oncology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
30citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

30 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 54 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Drug repurposing in oncology: a path beyond the bottleneck.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Mozaffarul IslamDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA. Mozaffarul.Islam@osumc.edu
Smita Sharma
Bhavna Kumar
Theodoros N Teknos
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute · USThe Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center · US

Funding

Translational Therapeutics Research Program (TT)P30CA016058 · NCI · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI Jennifer A. Woyach · 1985 to 2026
$132.3M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016058
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRhoC oncogene is a well characterized marker of metastasis in a majority of invasive cancers, including HNSCC. Elevated RhoC expression has been found to be associated with distant metastasis. Statins are a class of drugs that are used to reduce cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase activity which in turns prevents mevalonate synthesis, which is a precursor for synthesis of cholesterol and prenylation. Interestingly, the proper function of Rho proteins depends on prenylation. Significantly, it has been reported that metastasis in human melanoma can be reduced by atorvastatin which inhibits RhoC activity by preventing its geranylgeranylation. Given that RhoC is a key oncogene involved in metastasis, we hypothesized Atorvastatin can reduce head and neck metastasis by inhibiting RhoC activity.

methodsIn vitro and in vivo studies were carried out to evaluate the ability of Atorvastatin to inhibit RhoC function and HNSCC metastasis. Cell motility, proliferation, cell invasion, and colony formation assays were performed according to the standard protocols.

resultsAtorvastatin treatment significantly reduced the active form of RhoC in vitro and diminished cell motility, invasion, proliferation and colony formation. Importantly, we observed a significant decrease in p-ERK1/2 and p-STAT3 in Atorvastatin treated cell lines. In vivo experiments revealed inhibition of angiogenesis and lung metastases with Atorvastatin therapy.

conclusionsThis study is the first of its kind to establish a potential role of Atorvastatin in head and neck cancer therapy. These findings suggest that Atorvastatin can be a potential low risk adjuvant therapy to minimize metastases in aggressive forms of HNSCC.

Indexed as

AnimalsAtorvastatinCarcinoma, Squamous CellHead and Neck NeoplasmsHeptanoic AcidsHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsMAP Kinase Signaling SystemMiceNeoplasm MetastasisPhosphorylationPyrrolesrhoC GTP-Binding Proteinrho GTP-Binding ProteinsSTAT3 Transcription FactorAtorvastatinHeptanoic AcidsHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsPyrrolesrhoC GTP-Binding ProteinRHOC protein, humanrho GTP-Binding ProteinsSTAT3 protein, humanSTAT3 Transcription FactorGeranylationHead and neck squamous cell carcinomaHMG-COA reductaseLung metastasisRhoC

Identifiers

PMID23648017
PMCPMC4299638
OpenAlexW2000846980

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.