Recombinant Methioninase Lowers the Effective Dose of Regorafenib Against Colon-Cancer Cells: A Strategy for Widespread Clinical Use of a Toxic Drug

Background/aim: Regorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor, targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, Fibroblast Growth Factor receptor 1 and other oncogenic kinases. Regorafenib has efficacy in metastatic colon Cancer, but has severe dose-limiting toxicities which cause patients to stop taking the drug. The aim of the present study was to determine if recombinant methioninase (rMETase) could lower the effective concentration of regorafenib in vitro against a colorectal-cancer cell line.

Materials and methods: Firstly, we examined the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of regorafenib alone and rMETase alone for the HCT-116 human colorectal-cancer cell line. After that, using the IC₅₀ concentration of each drug, we investigated the efficacy of the combination of regorafenib and rMETase.

Results: While both methioninase alone (IC₅₀=0.61 U/ml) and regorafenib alone (IC₅₀=2.26 U/ml) inhibited the viability of HCT-116 cells, the combination of the two agents was more than twice as effective as either alone. Addition of rMETase at 0.61 U/ml lowered the IC₅₀ of regorafenib from 2.26 μM to 1.46 μM.

Conclusion: rMETase and regorafenib are synergistic, giving rise to the possibility of lowering the effective dose of regorafenib in patients, thereby reducing its severe toxicity, allowing more Cancer patients to be treated with regorafenib.

HCT-116; Hoffman effect; IC50; Regorafenib; colon cancer cells; combination treatment; methioninase; methionine addiction; multi-kinase inhibitor; rMETase; recombinant; synergy; toxicity.