OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a single intraosseous injection of simvastatin on the vascular structure and function of mouse breast cancer tumors.
Methods: An orthotopic mouse model of breast cancer was established, and a single intraosseous injection of simvastatin (50 μg) or blank vehicle was administered. α-SMA/CD31 immunofluorescence double staining was used to observe the pericyte/endothelial cell coverage of tumor blood vessels; Evan's blue dye was injected into the tail vein to observe tumor vascular permeability; immunohistochemistry was used to detect the changes of HIF-1α expression level inside the tumor.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, immunofluorescence double staining showed that the coverage of tumor vascular pericytes increased in the simvastatin group (P < 0.05); the content of Evans blue in the tumor tissue was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), indicating that the tumor vascular permeability was reduced, Tumor blood vessels tended to mature; immunohistochemistry showed that the expression level of HIF-1α in the tumor was decreased, and the hypoxia of breast cancer tumor tissue was improved.
Conclusion: A single intraosseous injection of simvastatin can improve the pericyte coverage of new blood vessels and promote the normalization of breast cancer tumor vessels.