Glioblastoma is one of the most malignant and aggressive types of brain tumors. 5-lipoxygenase and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT1) play a role in human carcinogenesis. Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs), anti-asthmatic drugs with mild side effects, have anti-metastatic activity in epidermoid carcinoma, lung carcinoma, and colon cancers as well as neuroprotective effects. Herein, anti-migratory effects of two LTRAs, montelukast and zafirlukast, were investigated in glioblastoma cells. The level of CysLT1 in A172 cells was increased by 3.13 folds after IL-1β treatment. The median toxic concentration of LTRAs in A172, U373, and primary astrocytes ranged from 7.17 to 26.28 μM at 24-h post-exposure. Both LTRAs inhibited migration and invasion of glioma. Additionally, both drugs significantly inhibited the expression and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in A172 and U373 glioblastoma cells and primary human astrocytes, suggesting that CysLT1 plays a role in migration and invasion of glioma, and LTRAs are potential drugs to reduce migration and invasion.

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain cancer with the highest proliferation, invasion, and migration. Montelukast and zafirlukast, 2 widely used leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) for asthma treatment, inhibited invasion and migration of glioblastoma cell lines. Montelukast induces apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation of various cancer cells. Herein, apoptotic and antiproliferative effects of montelukast and zafirlukast were investigated in 2 glioblastoma cell lines, A172 and U-87 MG. Both LTRAs induced apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation of glioblastoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Montelukast was more cytotoxic and induced higher levels of apoptosis than zafirlukast in A172 cells, but not in U-87 MG cells. Both drugs decreased expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein without affecting Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) levels. LTRAs also reduced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). In contrast, zafirlukast showed a greater antiproliferative effect than montelukast and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest by upregulating p53 and p21 expression. These results suggested the therapeutic potential of LTRAs in glioblastoma.

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