FDA-approved drug kills cancer cells in lab by disrupting cellular recycling

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Researchers found that inhibiting glucosylceramide synthase with eliglustat can kill cancer cells in several laboratory cell lines. The results suggest the enzyme and its products may help cancer cells survive, offering a potential avenue for further cancer research.

Researchers from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center recently demonstrated that the inhibition of glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) can cause death in cancer cells that is independent of changes in pro-death ceramide levels. The findings, which were recently published in Cell Death Discovery, showed that using eliglustat, an FDA-approved drug, induced cell death in several cancer cell lines. Additionally, the findings demonstrated, for the first time, that GCS and its products had a pro-survival role in cancer cells.