Anti-tumor Activities of 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) Reductase Inhibitors and Bisphosphonates in Pancreatic Cell Lines Which Show Poor Responses to Gemcitabine

<p>Few therapeutic options exist for gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase inhibitors and bisphosphonates in pancreatic cancer cell lines (SUIT-2 and MIA PaCa-2) which show poor responses to gemcitabine, established through long-term culture in nutrient-deprived or gemcitabine-containing media. Under the nutrient-deprived condition, IC₅₀s for statins and bisphosphonates decreased and those for gemcitabine increased compared with those under normal conditions. In cells cultured long-term with gemcitabine, although IC₅₀s for gemcitabine increased, those for statins and bisphosphonates either slightly increased or remained unchanged. Thus, these drugs may be effective against pancreatic cancer cells which show poor responses to gemcitabine.</p>