The University of Trieste is proud to be a part of the international research team that has discovered a mechanism that could open up new avenues for the treatment of glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive brain tumour. The study, conducted in collaboration between SISSA, IOM-CNR, the University of Trieste, the University Hospital of Udine and GlioGuard S.r.l. and recently published in the journal Molecular Cancer Research, highlights the importance of chloride ion fluxes in the proliferation of tumour cells.

Specifically, the research identified that so-called ‘calcium-dependent chloride channels’ are involved in the regulation of chloride ion fluxes in and out of the cancer cell. These channels act as ‘gates’ and directly influence the division of tumour cells, promoting their proliferation. By using specific substances to block these fluxes, the researchers were able to stop the replication of lab-grown cancer cells, thus identifying a potential target for future therapies.

As part of this project, the group led by Prof. Fabrizia Cesca of the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste studied the effect of specific inhibitors of chlorine channels, such as niflumic acid and carbenoxolone, on cancer cell replication. Experiments have shown that these substances can significantly slow down cell division, paving the way for new therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of glioblastoma.

This research therefore suggests that ionic currents could be an effective target for the development of innovative drugs against glioblastoma. However, given the complexity and heterogeneity of this tumour type, further studies will be needed to verify the effectiveness of such therapies in patients.

The full article is available on the AACR Journals site here.