A unique combination of a tapeworm drug and an antibiotic derivative has been found to be significantly impactful in killing breast cancer cells, according to a publication from Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. This finding may lead the drugs to be repurposed for treating breast cancer.
In a new Cancers study led by Dr. Tan Ince, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, and Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli, director of breast medical oncology, researchers identified a cell-of-origin-specific mRNA signature associated with metastasis and poor outcome in triple-negative carcinoma (TNBC) and an over-expression of histone deacetylases and zinc finger protein HDAC1, HDAC7, and ZNF92. Upon discovery of the cell-of-origin difference, researchers developed a novel cell-targeted therapy combining an HDAC inhibitor, an anti-helminthic Niclosamide, and an antibiotic Tanespimycin that inhibits HSP90.
Unlike gene-targeted therapies, cell-targeted therapies follow the cell-based approach, which considers the tissue origin an active partner in developing familiar tumors. In their work, investigators have also observed that the cell-of-origin is involved in shaping the breast tumor phenotype and drug response, demonstrating the significance of cell-of-origin signature in developing future breast cancer treatments.