New Delhi– A widely used antidepressant could offer a surprising new benefit—shrinking tumors and helping the immune system fight cancer—according to a groundbreaking study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The study, published in the journal Cell, found that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety—can significantly enhance the cancer-fighting abilities of T cells, a key component of the immune system.
Using both mouse and human tumor models, including melanoma, breast, prostate, colon, and bladder cancers, the researchers discovered that SSRI treatment reduced average tumor size by more than 50% and made T cells more effective at destroying cancer cells.
“It turns out SSRIs don’t just make our brains happier; they also make our T cells happier—even while they’re fighting tumors,” said Dr. Lili Yang, senior author of the study and a member of UCLA’s Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research.
Dr. Yang noted that because SSRIs have been safely used for decades, repurposing them for cancer treatment could offer a faster and more accessible path than developing entirely new drugs.
The research was initially inspired by the observation that immune cells isolated from tumors showed elevated levels of molecules involved in serotonin regulation. The team first explored monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme that breaks down serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. However, due to MAOIs’ known side effects and dietary restrictions, the focus shifted to another serotonin-regulating molecule: SERT, or the serotonin transporter.
“Unlike MAO-A, which affects several neurotransmitters, SERT is specifically responsible for transporting serotonin,” explained Dr. Bo Li, a research scientist in Yang’s lab. “That made SERT a more appealing and safer therapeutic target, especially since SSRIs, which act on SERT, are widely used with minimal side effects.”
The researchers also tested combining SSRIs with existing cancer therapies and found that the combination not only reduced tumor size more effectively but also led to complete remission in some cases.
The UCLA team now plans to analyze real-world data to determine whether cancer patients already taking SSRIs experience improved treatment outcomes.
If validated in clinical settings, the study could open the door to a powerful and cost-effective strategy for enhancing cancer immunotherapy using drugs that are already widely available. (Source: IANS)
