Atorvastatin suppresses glioma invasion and migration by reducing microglial MT1-MMP expression☆

Abstract Microglia, the immune cells of the brain, often present in large numbers in gliomas, where they promote tumor growth and invasiveness. This study found that atorvastatin reduced the pro-tumorigenic effects of microglia on glioma migration and invasion by reducing the microglial expression of membrane type 1 metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP). The results suggest that down-regulation of MT1-MMP is controlled by a p38 MAPK pathway in microglia. Taken together, the results support further research on atorvastatin as a candidate for glioma therapy by targeting microglia.