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A research group headed by Professor Pirjo Laakkonen at the University of Helsinki has found a weakness in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)
Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and also the most lethal type of brain tumour in adults, with no curative treatment currently available. Glioblastomas cannot be surgically completely excised, as the tumour cells are adept at invading tissues and spreading around the brain. In addition, glioblastoma cells are extremely resistant to existing drug therapies.
[...] "Our new research revealed that glioblastoma cells depend on the expression of a gene which produces the MDGI protein. Inhibiting the function of this gene results in the death of the tumour cells," Laakkonen explains.
Using existing drugs with known safety profiles is beneficial in bringing new treatments to market. In this case
What makes this finding particularly interesting is that cell death caused by leakage in the lysosomes of glioblastoma cells can be activated by using drugs that cross the blood-brain barrier. In their studies, Laakkonen's group used an antihistamine known as clemastine.
[...] "Our findings demonstrate that antihistamines and other drugs that increase the permeability of the lysosomal membrane can be considered as an enhancing therapy for patients with glioblastoma alongside established treatments," Laakkonen says.
One can hope that in the not too distant future the phrase 'no curative treatment currently available' will be just a little less common.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 12 2019, @06:27PM
The lysosomal membrane is going to be in all cells, not just tumor cells. And here is what they say about it:
1) You want to give a dose that kills all the tumor cells or else the tumor will evolve resistance
2) They say "no significant cell death" at 1-2 ug/ml but their figure 6 shows different. Eg, 50% of the NHA cells were dead by day four. Also, this is only looking out to 4 days, the patient is expected to live much longer than four days and will not want all their brain cells killed.