An Old Asthma Drug Halted Tumor Growth in Mice, New Study Finds

Breakthrough in Oncology

According to НВ — Техно: Published on May 24 at 11:00 PM in the journal Nature Cancer, a new study reveals that blocking the CysLTR1 protein with the drug montelukast may help overcome tumor resistance to immunotherapy. Researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine discovered that cancer cells exploit the CysLTR1 protein to manipulate the immune system. This finding could fundamentally shift how various cancers are treated.

Experiments and Results

The study showed that tumors can turn neutrophils into dormant agents, which in turn promotes metastasis. Montelukast-a drug approved for asthma treatment since 1998-can block this protein. In mouse experiments, scientists observed that:

• deactivating the CysLTR1 gene slowed the growth of colorectal tumors, melanoma, and breast cancer;
• administering montelukast improved survival rates in the test subjects.

The strongest effects from blocking CysLTR1 occurred when combined with immunotherapy, particularly checkpoint blockade. Experiments using human blood confirmed that the same mechanism is at work. However, montelukast is known to have neuropsychiatric side effects, meaning further safety studies are needed before it can be used in cancer treatment.

The research team is also exploring the creation of specialized antibodies that directly target the CysLTR1 receptor, which could represent a new frontier in fighting cancer. This study opens up fresh possibilities for developing treatments that may reshape how oncological diseases are managed.

These results are significant for advancing therapeutic strategies in oncology, as they demonstrate the potential of repurposing existing drugs for new purposes.

Importantly, the research highlights the need to evaluate montelukast's safety in the context of cancer therapy, as well as the possibility of developing new medications that can effectively target CysLTR1, paving new paths for combating tumor diseases.