A Study of the Effect of Aspirin and Atorvastatin on the Phenotypes of Liver Cancer Cells in a Cell Culture Model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In patients with type 2 diabetes, liver diseases are the major causes of liver cancer. The invention of new methods and medicinal compounds has led to a significant increase in our ability to treat cancers. This study aims to evaluate the effect of two known compounds, atorvastatin and aspirin, on the phenotypes of liver cancer cell lines. METHODS: In this experimental study, after preparing HepG2 cell line from National Cell Bank of Iran and culturing it, the cytotoxic, apoptotic and metastatic effects of both atorvastatin and aspirin were investigated at concentrations of 50 – 100 – 200 μM in 7 treatment groups and one control group by MTT assay, flow cytometry and zymography tests. FINDINGS: The results of these tests indicated the cytotoxic effects of atorvastatin at all concentrations of 50 – 100 – 200 μM (48%, 99.96% and 100%), and the low cytotoxic effects of aspirin at all concentrations except for 200 μM, mainly observed as necrosis (p