Repurposing the anti-gout drug benzbromarone for the treatment of glioma

Glioma has long been a threat to human health and new treatments are required to address this health problem. We here explored the potential use of benzbromarone as a supplement to existing chemotherapy strategies. The effects of benzbromarone on the proliferation and migration of C6 glioma cells were evaluated by MTT and wound healing assays. The effects of benzbromarone on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in C6 glioma cells were determined by flow cytometry. The effect of benzbromarone on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was determined through fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Finally, the effect of benzbromarone on the NF-κB pathway was determined by western blotting and immunofluorescence. Benzbromarone inhibited the growth and migration of C6 glioma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Benzbromarone also induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in C6 glioma cells, in addition to increasing ROS generation. Western blot analysis revealed that benzbromarone activated the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our results suggest that benzbromarone induces cytotoxicity through ROS production. These findings indicate the potential of benzbromarone as a treatment of glioma.