Sertraline, a widely prescribed common antidepressant, may help inhibit cancer cell growth, study finds. For the time being, this work has only been carried out on mouse models. Nevertheless, the clinical track remains promising.
Cancer cells are so-called "abnormal" cells engaged in an anarchic process where they accumulate abnormalities. They then clump together, "hijacking" the healthy cells around them, eventually forming tumours.
We know that these cancer cells grow much faster than normal cells. To fuel this growth, they need large amounts of amino acids . These molecules are normally synthesized inside cells themselves to create essential proteins, but cancer cells synthesize them at a much higher rate than normal cells.
In addition, some cancer cells depend on two very specific amino acids, serine and glycine . The following question then arises:would it be possible to slow down, or even stop, the proliferation of these cancerous cells by limiting the production of these two amino acids? Kim De Keersmaecker and his team from KU Leuven, a Belgian Dutch-speaking university, recently studied the question.
"This mechanism is an interesting target because cancer cells depend on it so much “, explains the researcher. “Healthy cells use this mechanism to a lesser extent and also absorb serine and glycine from food. However, this is not enough for cancer cells. Which means they are starting to produce more. If we can stop this production, then we could theoretically fight cancer without affecting healthy cells “.
As part of this work, the researchers relied on a large database of existing drugs to search for candidates capable of reducing this serine/glycine production. After testing more than 1,600 molecules on yeast cells, sertraline (a widely prescribed antidepressant that is also effective against anxiety symptoms) was found to be the best candidate.
When they tested sertraline in mouse models with breast cancer, the researchers indeed found that the drug, in combination with antimalarial treatments, reduced the growth of cancer.
For the time being, these tests have only been carried out on mouse xenografts. Therefore, it is not yet known whether these results could also be reproducible in humans. Furthermore, this work only looked at one form of cancer. However, the authors hope that further research will clarify the potential of this antidepressant.
"These are, of course, experimental research results, not clinical studies, but we can be optimistic about its potential “, emphasizes Kim De Keersmaecker. “Especially since the safety of the use of sertraline in humans has already been well described, which is a great advantage. That is why we are currently looking for industrial partners to continue this research “.
Details of the study are published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.
