image: Figure 7: Statin mediated reduction in tumor burden via downregulation of SATB1 in vivo. (A) Schematic presentation of the experimental strategy using NOD-SCID mice. (B) Comparative images of the tumors and graph to show a reduction in tumor burden on simvastatin treatment in mice injected with HCT116 cell line, (Biological replicates n = 4) (C) FLAG-SATB1 overexpressed SW480 cells were injected sub-cutaneously in NOD-SCID mice, and tumor burden was observed after rosuvastatin treatment (n = 7) **p < 0.005, ***p < 0.0005 by performing Student’s t-test analysis.
Credit: Copyright: © 2025 Tripathi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
“Our findings provide direct evidence that statins selectively modulate key components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, a major driver of adenoma formation, including members of the special AT-rich sequence-binding (SATB) protein family.”
BUFFALO, NY – July 22, 2025 – A new research paper was published in Volume 16 of Oncotarget on July 21, 2025, titled “Statins exhibit anti-tumor potential by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer.”
In this work, led by first author Sneha Tripathi from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research and corresponding author Sanjeev Galande from the Center of Excellence in Epigenetics at Shiv Nadar University, researchers discovered that statins, widely used to lower cholesterol, may also suppress colorectal cancer growth. This finding highlights a potential new role for these common drugs in cancer prevention and therapy.
Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and new strategies are urgently needed to improve treatment results. Statins, originally developed to lower cholesterol levels, have gained attention for their possible anti-cancer properties. The study investigated how statins affect the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, a critical driver in colorectal cancer development and progression.
The researchers discovered that statins disrupt the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, leading to lower levels of tumor-promoting proteins and to cancer-suppressing cellular behaviors. Experiments in both colorectal cell cultures and mouse models confirmed that statins reduced tumor growth without causing noticeable side effects. This study further revealed that statins downregulate SATB1, a protein linked to aggressive tumor behavior, while increasing SATB2, a protein with tumor-suppressing effects. These changes made the cancer cells less able to grow and spread.
“This reciprocal regulation shifts cellular phenotypes between epithelial and mesenchymal states in 3D spheroid models.”
Overall, the findings suggest that statins could be repurposed to complement existing colorectal cancer treatments or even be used in preventive strategies for high-risk individuals. By targeting the molecular machinery that drives colorectal tumor development, statins offer a promising, accessible, and well-understood option for further research in cancer therapy.
This research opens the door to larger clinical studies to explore how best to integrate statins into cancer care. If successful, this approach could provide a cost-effective strategy for reducing the global burden of colorectal cancer, which remains a significant health challenge.
Continue reading: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28755
Correspondence to: Sanjeev Galande – sanjeev.galande@snu.edu.in
Keywords: cancer, colorectal cancer, statins, SATB1, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, tumor-suppressive phenotype
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Journal
Oncotarget
Method of Research
News article
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Statins exhibit anti-tumor potential by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer
Article Publication Date
21-Jul-2025
COI Statement
Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.