Simvastatin Induces Anti-Tumor Effects on Systemic CAEBV <i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i>

Background: Systemic chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (sCAEBV) is a rare and fatal lymphoid neoplasm characterized by sustained systemic inflammation and clonal proliferation of EBV-infected T or NK cells. Because the mechanisms responsible for the development of the disorder have not been elucidated to date, its optimal chemotherapy has not been established, and the prognosis of sCAEBV has remained very poor. We previously found and reported that simvastatin, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, inhibits prenylation of intracellular signal-mediating molecules in adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia cells. On the basis of these findings, we hypothesized that simvastatin could also induce apoptosis in EBV-positive T or NK cells from sCAEBV.