摘要

BACKGROUNDS: Myxomas are the most prevalent primary cardiac neoplasms. However, the molecular mechanisms of tumourigenesis and the potential inhibiting ability of statins are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signalling pathway is involved in the biological actions of cardiac myxoma (CM) cells and the pharmacological impact of atorvastatin. METHODS: CM cells were cultured, and their proliferating and secreting abilities were determined after pretreatment with or without interleukin (IL)-6 and atorvastatin. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of Akt and phosphorylated Akt. RESULTS: IL-6 increased CM cell proliferation by a factor of 3.2 and IL-6 production by a factor of 20.3 compared with the control group, which were attenuated by both PI3K inhibitors wortmanin and atorvastatin. Akt phosphorylation was enhanced by IL-6 and inhibited by wortmanin and atorvastatin. Atorvastatin reversed IL-6-induced Akt phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results suggest that PI3K/Akt signalling pathways play an important biological role in CM cells when stimulated with IL-6. Atorvastatin may inhibit CM cells by regulating the activation of Akt.