In vitro anticancer effects of a RAGE inhibitor discovered using a structure-based drug design system.

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a pattern recognition receptor implicated in the pathogenesis of certain types of cancer. In the present study, papaverine was identified as a RAGE inhibitor using the conversion to small molecules through optimized‑peptide strategy drug design system. Papaverine significantly inhibited RAGE‑dependent nuclear factor κ‑B activation driven by high mobility group box‑1, a RAGE ligand. Using RAGE‑ or dominant‑negative RAGE‑expressing HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells, the present study revealed that papaverine suppressed RAGE‑dependent cell proliferation and migration dose‑dependently. Furthermore, papaverine significantly inhibited cell invasion. The results of the present study suggested that papaverine could inhibit RAGE, and provided novel insights into the field of RAGE biology, particularly anticancer therapies.Embargo Period 6 month

Anticancer effects of a non-narcotic opium alkaloid medicine, papaverine, in human glioblastoma cells.

The interaction between high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is important for tumor cell growth. We investigated the tumor biological effects of HMGB1 and RAGE interaction. Previously, we identified an inhibitor of HMGB1/RAGE interaction, papaverine (a non-narcotic opium alkaloid), using a unique drug design system and drug repositioning approach. In the present study, we examined the anticancer effects of papaverine in human glioblastoma (GBM) temozolomide (TMZ; as a first-line anticancer medicine)-sensitive U87MG and TMZ-resistant T98G cells. HMGB1 supplementation in the culture medium promoted tumor cell growth in T98G cells, and this effect was canceled by papaverine. In addition, papaverine in T98G cells suppressed cancer cell migration. As an HMGB1/RAGE inhibitor, papaverine also significantly inhibited cell proliferation in U87MG and T98G cells. The effects of papaverine were evaluated in vivo in a U87MG xenograft mouse model by determining tumor growth delay. The results indicate that papaverine, a smooth muscle relaxant, is a potential anticancer drug that may be useful in GBM chemotherapy