Recent research from Washington University School of Medicine has uncovered a novel mechanism in pediatric brain tumors, specifically pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), where glutamate receptors are abnormally coupled with growth receptors, fueling tumor development by linking electrical signaling to cancer growth.

This interdisciplinary study, involving experts from neurology, neurosurgery, pediatrics, genetics, neuropathology, and biostatistics, validated its findings using patient-derived tumor specimens.

The research highlights that this aberrant receptor activity creates a previously unrecognized link between neurotransmission and oncogenic signaling in PA.

Published in the journal Neuron, the study emphasizes the importance of understanding neuron-tumor interactions and opens the door for innovative targeted therapies.

Scientists demonstrated that drugs blocking glutamate receptors, such as memantine—which is already FDA-approved for dementia and Alzheimer’s—significantly reduced tumor growth in mouse models, suggesting potential for drug repurposing.

Pharmacological blockade of these receptors with memantine could offer a safer, less invasive treatment option for children, minimizing neurotoxicity compared to traditional therapies.

Further steps include assessing the safety and efficacy of glutamate receptor-blocking drugs in clinical trials involving children, aiming to develop treatments that spare brain development.

This promising approach could improve outcomes for pediatric patients by targeting tumor growth while minimizing damage to the developing brain.

The research underscores the potential of repurposing existing neurological drugs like memantine to provide safer, effective treatments for children with these tumors.

Overall, this discovery offers a new understanding of how electrical signaling influences tumor growth in PA, paving the way for innovative therapies that could transform pediatric brain tumor treatment.