Determination of the efficacy of metformin and atorvastatin administration on some apoptotic markers in human ovarian cancer cells

Metformin and Atorvastatin exhibits anticancer ability in various cancer cell lines. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of Metformin and Atorvastatin induced apoptosis in OVCAR 3 cells, an ovarian cancer cell line. Ovarian cancer is a major health concern worldwide, with late-stage diagnoses resulting in high fatality rates. This study looked into the impact of metformin and atorvastatin on apoptotic markers in ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3) and their potential as therapeutic agents, by examining their impact on ovarian cancer cell survival and apoptotic pathways. The effects of these medicines on apoptotic markers such as Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase 3, and AMPK, and ERK enzymes were investigated in OVCAR-3 cells. The study sought to investigate the cytotoxic characteristics, mechanism of action, and potential as combination therapeutic agents. The MTS assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of Atorvastatin and Metformin at different concentrations (Atorvastatin: 0.78 mM-50 mM; Metformin: 2 mM-256 mM) for 24, 48, and 72 hours. Atorvastatin showed a considerable dose- and time-dependent reduction in cell viability, with significant effects at doses of 12.5 mM and above. By 72 hours, Atorvastatin had reduced cell viability to around 10% at its maximum dose (50 mM), with an IC50 of 1.510 mM. Metformin also had substantial cytotoxic effects, especially after prolonged exposure durations. Cell viability decreased to 10% with 256 mM dose after 72 hours, with an IC50 of 12.77 mM. These findings demonstrate that both medicines can effectively limit ovarian cancer proliferation. Atorvastatin and Metformin regulated apoptotic pathways by enhancing pro-apoptotic markers including Bax and Caspase 3 and reducing the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. Furthermore, they impacted important metabolic pathways such as AMPK activation and ERK signaling and the results highlighted that the metformin and atorvastatin along with their combinations exert significant impact on the cell metabolism and survival of ovarian cancer. Briefly, this study showed that especially combining Metformin and Atorvastatin can be an effective therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer by exploiting their complementary modes of action. The findings lay a solid framework for future preclinical investigations and clinical trials to assess their combined usage in targeted therapeutics, with the goal of improving outcomes for individuals suffering from this deadly disease.