Cilostazol is an effective causal therapy for preventing paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy by suppression of Schwann cell dedifferentiation.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can lead to discontinuation of chemotherapy and is consequently a serious impediment to effective cancer treatment. Due to our limited understanding of mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CIPN, no causal therapy has been approved for relief of this condition. We previously demonstrated that taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) induce Schwann cell dedifferentiation, characterized by increased expression of p75 and galectin-3, ultimately leading to demyelination. These changes appear to be responsible for CIPN pathogenesis. This study was designed to identify a novel candidate therapeutic for CIPN with the ability to suppress paclitaxel-induced Schwann cell dedifferentiation. Given that elevation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling participates in Schwann cell differentiation, we performed immunocytochemical screening of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors. We found that the PDE3 inhibitor cilostazol strongly promoted differentiation of primary cultures of rat Schwann cells via a mechanism involving cAMP/exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) signaling. Co-treatment with cilostazol prevented paclitaxel-induced dedifferentiation of Schwann cell cultures and demyelination in a mixed culture of Schwann cells and dorsal root ganglia neurons. Notably, continuous oral administration of cilostazol suppressed Schwann cell dedifferentiation within the sciatic nerve and the development of mechanical hypersensitivity in a mouse model of paclitaxel-related CIPN. Importantly, cilostazol potentiated, rather than inhibited, the anti-cancer effect of paclitaxel on the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. These findings highlight the potential utility of cilostazol as a causal therapeutic that avoids the development of paclitaxel-related CIPN without compromising anti-cancer properties.