Simvastatin and metformin inhibit cell growth in hepatitis C virus infected cells via mTOR increasing PTEN and autophagy.

ABSTRACT: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been related to increased risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while metformin (M) and statins treatment seemed to protect against HCC development. In this work, we aim to identify the mechanisms by which metformin and simvastatin (S) could protect from liver cancer. Huh7.5 cells were infected with HCV particles and treated with M+S. Human primary hepatocytes were treated with M+S. Treatment with both drugs inhibited Huh7.5 cell growth and HCV infection. In non-infected cells S increased translational controlled tumor protein (TCTP) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) proteins while M inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and TCTP. Simvastatin and metformin co-administered down-regulated mTOR and TCTP, while PTEN was inc

SUBMITTER: Del Campo JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5791999 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature