Comparison of the Effects of Statins on A549 Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line Lipids Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy: Rosuvastatin Stands Out

Abstract

Statins are commonly prescribed antilipidemic and anticholesterol class of drugs. In addition to their major role, they have been found to have anticancer effects on in vitro, animal and clinical studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of six different statins (rosuvastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin) on A549 cancer cells lipids by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Proliferation tests were carried out to detect the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of each statin on A549 cells. The IC50 values were 50 mu M for simvastatin, 150 mu M for atorvastatin and pravastatin, and 170 mu M for fluvastatin, 200 mu M for rosuvastatin and lovastatin on A549 cells. No correlation was found between the antiproliferative effects of the statins and lipid-lowering effect. The cells were treated with IC5, IC10, and IC50 values of each statins concentration and lipid extracts were compared using FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicated that different statins had different effects on the lipid content of A549 cells. The FTIR spectra of the lipid exctracts of statin-treated A549 cells indicated that the value of hydrocarbon chain length, unsaturation index, oxidative stress level, and phospholipid containing lipids increased except for rosuvastatin-treated A549 cells. In addition, rosuvastatin significantly lowered cholesterol ester levels. In conclusion, the contrasting effects of rosuvastatin should be further investigated.