Targeting Breast Cancer using Pimozide and its effect on Cell Proliferation, Invasion and Mitochondrial Metabolism

In 2022, breast cancer remained the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with more than 2.3 million new cases diagnosed and approximately 670 000 deaths, representing one in four cancers in women and a growing global health burden. Matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP-11), frequently overexpressed in both tumor and stromal cells of breast carcinomas, has been identified as an independent negative prognostic factor, driving tumor invasion and metastasis and correlating with reduced overall survival, making it a compelling therapeutic target. Despite advances in targeted therapies, the high cost and lengthy development pipeline of novel agents pose significant barriers, highlighting the urgent need to repurpose existing drugs with established safety profiles to accelerate clinical trial development and expand treatment options for patients with MMP-11–driven breast cancer.

For more detailed insights, read the review article I co-authored, published in Bentham Science.

This study explores the potential of repurposing the antipsychotic drug Pimozide to target MMP-11–expressing MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Following cell culture, cytotoxicity assays were performed to determine the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), enabling the optimization of Pimozide dosage for effective treatment. The impact of the drug was assessed through real-time PCR, analyzing its effect on key biological markers of cell proliferation, invasion, and mitochondrial metabolism. Additionally, in silico analyses were conducted to identify protein-protein interactions and elucidate the molecular pathways affected by Pimozide.