Anti-Psychotic Drugs May Help Combat Brain Cancer

Anti-psychotic drugs may be able to combat the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, according to a recent study Zee News reported.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that FDA-approved anti-psychotic drugs possess tumor-killing activity against the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma.

The team of scientists used a technology platform called shRNA to test how each gene in the human genome contributed to glioblastoma growth. Researcher Clark Chen said that one surprising finding is that many genes required for glioblastoma growth are also required for dopamine receptor function. Dopamine is a small molecule that is released by nerve cells and binds to the dopamine receptor in surrounding nerve cells, enabling cell communication.

Abnormal dopamine regulation is associated with Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Because of the importance of dopamine in these diseases, drugs have been developed to neutralize the effect of dopamine, called dopamine antagonists, Zee News reported.

"The anti-glioblastoma effects of these drugs are completely unexpected and were only uncovered because we carried out an unbiased genetic screen," principal researcher Clark Chen said in a statement.

After identifying which genes contributed to glioblastoma growth, researchers tested the effects of dopamine antagonists against glioblastoma and found that these drugs exert significant anti-tumor effects both in cultured cells and mouse models. Researchers said the effects are synergistic when combined with other anti-glioblastoma drugs in terms of halting tumor growth, according to a press release.

Bob Carter, chairman of University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, said in a statement that since the anti-psychotic drugs are already FDA-cleared for human use in the treatment of other diseases, "it is possible these drugs may be re-purposed for glioblastoma treatment, thereby bypassing years of pre-clinical testing."