SSRI antidepressant citalopram reverses the Warburg effect to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma by directly targeting GLUT1.

A preprint abstract from biorxiv.org discusses the potential use of the SSRI antidepressant citalopram in inhibiting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer. The study found that citalopram exhibits significant anti-HCC effects by targeting the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), reducing glycolytic flux and ATP generation. In preclinical models, citalopram showed promising results in slowing the growth of liver tumors and had a synergistic effect with anti-PD-1 therapy. Retrospective analysis of health records also suggested that SSRI use is associated with a lower risk of metastasis in HCC patients. However, it is important to note that this research has not yet undergone peer review. [Extracted from the article]