Histone deacetylase regulation of immune gene expression in tumor cells

Epigenetic modifications of chromatin, such as histone acetylation, are involved in repression of tumor antigens and multiple immune genes that are thought to facilitate tumor escape. The status of acetylation in a cell is determined by the balance of the activities of histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases. Inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDACi) can enhance the expression of immunologically important molecules in tumor cells and HDACi treated tumor cells are able to induce immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Systemic HDACi are in clinical trails in cancer and also being used in several autoimmune disease models. To date, 18 HDACs have been reported in human cells and more than thirty HDACi identified, although only a few immune targets of these inhibitors have been identified. Here, we discuss the molecular pathways employed by HDACi and their potential role in inducing immune responses against tumors. We review data suggesting that selection of target specific HDACi and combinations with other agents and modalities, including those that activate stress pathways, may further enhance the efficacy of epigenetic therapies.     

Expression of Histone Deacetylases in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma and Its Clinical Significance

Background: Histone deacetylase inhibitors are a new class of drugs used in treatment of malignant tumors. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of B-cell lymphoma, and it accounts for more than 40% of all B-cell lymphomas. In this study, we aimed to determine the expression patterns of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in DLBCL, to examine whether HDAC expression patterns differ among cases, and to assess whether these findings have clinical significance.Materials and methods: We selected 91 cases of DLBCL diagnosed at St. Vincent Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, from 2001-2012. We performed a pathology slide review and collected clinical data including age, sex, tumor site, survival time, and mortality. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using primary antibodies for HDACs, including HDAC1 and 2 of class I, HDAC4 and 5 of class IIa, and HDAC6 of class IIb. Expression site was determined to be nuclear, cytoplasmic, or both. Staining intensities were graded as low and high. We assessed correlations between HDAC expression levels and clinical data and survival analysis.Results: Of the 91 cases examined, 46 (50.5%) were men and 45 (49.5%) were women. Most of the patients were elderly, and 74 (81.3%) cases were older than 46 y. Forty-six (50.5%) cases showed lymph node involvement, and 45 (49.5%) cases showed lymphoma at extranodal sites. In nodal lymphoma, staining was strongly positive for HDAC2, whereas staining was weak or negative for HDAC4; however, there was no significant correlation with survival. But nodal lymphoma cases with high nuclear expression of HDAC2 and nodal lymphoma cases with high nuclear expression of HDAC2 and low nuclear expression of HDAC4 showed significantly shorter survival times compared with other cases.Conclusions: High nuclear expression of HDAC2 may play an important role in survival of DLBCL patients, especially in those with nodal lymphoma, which is associated with a shorter survival time. Our results may have important implications for treatment of DLBCL by epigenetic regulation.     

Inhibitors of histone deacetylases induce tumor-selective cytotoxicity through modulating Aurora-A kinase

The molecular basis of the antitumor selectivity of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) remains unclear. Centrosomal Aurora-A kinase regulates chromosomal segregation during mitosis. The overexpression or amplification of Aurora-A leads to genetic instability, and its inhibition has shown significant antitumor effects. In this paper, we report that structurally related hydroxamate LAQ824 and SK-7068 induce tumor-selective mitotic defects by depleting Aurora-A. We found that HDI-treated cancer cells, unlike nontransformed cells, exhibit defective mitotic spindles. After HDI, Aurora-A was selectively downregulated in cancer cells, whereas Aurora-B remained unchanged in both cancer and nontransformed cells. LAQ824 or SK-7068 treatment inhibited histone deacetylase (HDAC) 6 present in Aurora-A/heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 complex. Inhibition of HDAC6 acetylated Hsp90 and resulted in dissociation of acetylated Hsp90 from Aurora-A. As a result, Hsp70 binding to Aurora-A was enhanced in cancer cells, leading to proteasomal degradation of Aurora-A. Overall, these provide a novel molecular basis of tumor selectivity of HDI. LAQ824 and SK-7068 might be more effective HDIs in cancer cells with Aurora-A overexpression.     

Histone deacetylases in virus‐associated cancers

Oncogenic viruses are one of the most important causes of cancer worldwide. The pathogens contribute to the establishment of human malignancies by affecting various cellular events. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modification methylation/demethylation, are one of the most critical events manipulated by oncogenic viruses to drive tumorigenesis. Histone modifications are mediated by histone acetylation and deacetylation, regulated by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), respectively. Dysregulation of HDACs activity affects viral tumorigenesis in several ways, such as manipulating tumor suppressor and viral gene expression. The present review aims to describe the vital interactions between both cancer‐caused/associated viruses and the HDAC machinery, particularly by focusing on those viruses involved in gastrointestinal tumors, as some of the most common viral‐mediated cancers.     

Decreased expression of histone deacetylase 10 predicts poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients

Aberrant expression of histone deacetylase (HDACs) was associated with carcinogenesis and progression of various tumors. However, the association of HDAC10 with clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients is unclear. Thus, the objective of the current study was to evaluate the association of expression level of HDAC10 with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. The expression level of HDAC10 in 179 paraffin-embedded gastric cancer tissue specimens was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). As a result, we found that expression of HDAC10 in gastric cancer was significantly decreased in gastric cancer tissues as compared with adjacent tissues (51.4% vs. 87.3%, P < 0.001). HDAC10 expression was significantly correlated with gender (P = 0.023), tumor size (P = 0.015), histological grade (P = 0.009), tumor invasion (P = 0.033), lymph node metastatic status (P = 0.019) and tumor stage (P = 0.004), but not correlated with age and lauren classification (all P > 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the overall survival rate was significantly lower in the patients with low expression of HDAC10 compared with those patients with high HDAC10 (P < 0.001). Moreover, multivariate analysis revealed that HDAC10 expression was an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients (P = 0.001). These results suggest that HDAC10 expression could see as a prognosis marker for gastric cancer patients.     

Histone deacetylase 3 is required for centromeric H3K4 deacetylation and sister chromatid cohesion

We describe here the role of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) in sister chromatid cohesion and the deacetylation of histone H3 Lys 4 (H3K4) at the centromere. HDAC3 knockdown induced spindle assembly checkpoint activation and sister chromatid dissociation. The depletion of Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) or Aurora B restored cohesion in HDAC3-depleted cells. HDAC3 was also required for Shugoshin localization at centromeres. Finally, we show that HDAC3 depletion results in the acetylation of centromeric H3K4, correlated with a loss of dimethylation at the same position. These findings provide a functional link between sister chromatid cohesion and the mitotic "histone code".     

Histone H1 expression in human prostate cancer tissues and cell lines

Histone H1, one of the histone superfamilies, is known to determine chromatin structure and alter gene expression. It also contributes to regulation of cell proliferation in breast cancer. We hypothesized a similar association in prostate cancer, and therefore examined relationships between histone H1 expression and Gleason pattern, Ki-67 and androgen receptor levels in a series of prostate cancer tissues and cell lines. Histone H1 positive cancer cells increased with the Gleason pattern. Gleason pattern 3 tumors were divided into two groups, one with high histone H1 positivity (H1-high cases, 60-100% positivity) and the other with low histone H1 positivity (H1-low cases, 0-20% positivity). Ki-67 or androgen receptor positivity in H1-high cases was significantly higher than in H1-low cases. PC3 cells demonstrated more frequent histone H1 and Ki-67 positivity as compared to LNCaP cells. Silencing of histone H1 by siRNA transfection significantly reduced cell proliferation in LNCaP and PC3. These findings suggest that histone H1 expression is associated with the Gleason pattern, cell proliferation and androgen receptor expression in prostate cancers.     

Targeted therapy in prostate cancer

The therapeutic approach to advanced prostate cancer has seen greater changes in the last 7 years than it did in the preceding 70. Although only one of the newly approved agents that improve overall survival is a targeted agent, it is a validation of the method of pathway analysis and drug design in delivering novel, clinically usable agents. As our knowledge of the molecular circuitry of tumour invasion, metastases and treatment resistance has become more refined, the number of new, potentially useful, targets has grown exponentially. This is reflected in the vast array of diverse targeted agents that are currently being evaluated in human trials. In this review, we briefly describe some of the key pathways that are involved in the evolution of the prostate cancer 'lethal phenotype', and review the clinical activity of some of the newly approved targeted therapies or those in advanced phases of clinical development.     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂促大鼠胚胎干细胞向神经元分化

目的探讨组蛋白去乙酰化酶（HDAC）抑制剂丁酸钠（NaB）对大鼠胚胎干细胞（ESC）向神经元分化的影响。方法利用含bFGF、EGF的DMEM／F12培养基培养原代ESC;应用DAPI染色,荧光显微镜观察不同药物浓度NaB（0．2、1、2μmol／L）作用48h后对细胞凋亡的影响;免疫荧光检测NaB（1μmol／L）作用72h后和对照组（PBS）ESC双肾上皮质激素（DCX）和DAPI,计算DCX／DAPI的比值;免疫印迹检测不同浓度NaB（0．2、1、2μmol／L）作用48h后和对照组（PBS）ESC组蛋白H3、H4乙酰化水平。结果在1、2／μmol／LNaB组ESC出现明显凋亡,细胞形状不规则,核固缩,核内可见致密的颗粒荧光,视野下细胞碎片较多,且凋亡细胞百分比明显高于0．2μmol／LNaB组和对照组[（7．85±0．73）％、（18．42±2．04）％比（3．48±0．35）％、（2．16±0．32）％,均P〈0．05]。1μmol／LNaB组ESCDCX／DAPI比值高于对照组（38．51±4．33比14．81±1．77,P〈0．05）。随NaB药物浓度的增加,ESC蛋白H3、H4乙酰化程度较对照组增强,0．2±mol／L组处理后乙酰化组蛋白H3和H4表达变化不明显,1、2μmol／L时组蛋白H3和H4乙酰化程度明显增高（均P〈0．05）。结论HDAC抑制剂NaB可明显促使ESC向神经元分化。     

Transforming growth factor-beta: A target for cancer therapy

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic growth factor that regulates cell growth and differentiation, apoptosis, cell motility, extracellular matrix production, angiogenesis, and cellular immune responses. TGF-β demonstrates paradoxical action whereby it can function to suppress early tumorigenesis; however, it can also facilitate malignant transformation and stimulate tumor growth by manipulating a more hospitable environment for tumor invasion and the development of metastases. Given the integral role of TGF-β in transformation and cancer progression, various components of the TGF-β signaling pathway offer potentially attractive therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. This review focuses on the role of TGF-β in cancer and discusses both small and large molecule drugs currently in development that target TGF-β, its receptor and important down stream steps along its signaling pathway.     

Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) participates in the down-regulation of corticotropin releasing hormone gene (crh) expression

The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) plays a central role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Medial parvocellular neurons of the PVH (mpPVH) integrate sensory and humoral inputs to maintain homeostasis. Humoral inputs include glucocorticoids secreted by the adrenals, which down-regulate HPA activation. A primary glucocorticoid target is the population of mpPVH neurons that synthesize and secrete corticotropin-releasing factors, the most potent of which is corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Although CRH gene (crh) expression is known to be down-regulated by glucocorticoids, the mechanisms by which this process occurs are still poorly understood. To begin this study we postulated that glucocorticoid repression of crh involves HDAC recruitment to the region of the crh proximal promoter. To evaluate this hypothesis, we treated hypothalamic cells that express CRH with the HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA). As predicted, treatment with TSA led to increased CRH mRNA levels and crh promoter activity. Although co-treatment with Dex (10⁻⁷ M) reduced the TSA effect on mRNA levels, it failed to reduce promoter activity; however co-transfection of HDAC1 but not 3 restored Dex inhibition. A distinction between HDAC1 and 3 was also apparent with respect to crh promoter occupancy. Dex led to increased HDAC1 but not HDAC3 occupancy. In vivo studies revealed that CRH-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons contained HDAC1- and HDAC3-ir. Collectively, these data point to a role for HDAC1 in the physiologic regulation of crh.     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂治疗多聚谷氨酰胺病的研究进展

近年研究发现基因转录异常可导致亨廷顿病(Huntington's disease,HD)等多聚谷氨酰胺(polyglutamine,PolyQ)病中的神经元功能异常.组蛋白去乙酰化酶(histone deacetylases,HDACs)作为一种转录抑制因子,可与辅阻遏物复合体相互作用导致染色质重塑,最终抑制目的基因的转录.PolyQ蛋白与基因转录调控因子异常的相互作用可能是PolyQ病转录失调的原因之一.作者就PolyQ病转录失调的可能发生机制,尤其是组蛋白乙酰转移酶(histone acetyltransferases,HATs)和HDACs在其中所起的作用,以及组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂(histone deacetylases inhibitors,HDACIs)的治疗潜能等方面予以综述.     

Histone deacetylase gene variants predict brain volume changes in multiple sclerosis

Neuroimaging measures hold promise for enhancing the detection of disease-related genetic variants. In this study, we use advanced multivariate regression methods to assess the predictive value of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on several brain volumetric- and lesion-related neuroimaging measures in a well-characterized cohort of 326 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). SNP selection was constrained to key epigenetic regulatory genes to further explore the emerging role of epigenetics in MS. Regression models consistently identified rs2522129, rs2675231, and rs2389963 as having among the highest predictive values for explaining differences related to brain volume measures. These SNPs are all contained in genes from the same superfamily, histone deacetylases, which have biological functions that are relevant to MS, neurodegeneration, and aging. Our preliminary findings generate hypotheses for testing in future independent MS data sets as well as other neurodegenerative conditions.     

Stathmin作为抗肿瘤治疗新靶标的研究进展

Stathmin是一个磷酸化胞浆蛋白,它与有丝分裂纺锤体的结构和功能有密切关系,这将影响细胞周期的进行.Stathmin在多种恶性肿瘤细胞中都过表达,而正常体细胞未见上调.近年来,以Stathmin作为抗肿瘤治疗的靶标,利用核酸酶、siRNA、小分子物质以及天然提取物等多种策略得到了长足发展.更多的研究将致力于进一步证...     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶3抑制剂通过减轻氧化应激降低缺氧/复氧引起的PC12细胞凋亡

目的 探讨组蛋白去乙酰化酶3（HDAC3）抑制剂（HDAC3I）RGFP966在PC12细胞缺氧/复氧（H/R)损伤中的作用。 方法 采用PC12细胞缺氧4 h复氧24 h培养建立H/R细胞损伤模型。H/R+抑制剂组采用RGFP966预处理1 h后进行H/R处理。实验分为3组,对照组、H/R组和H/R+抑制剂组,每组重复3次。采用MTT法测定细胞活性,比色法检测细胞乳酸脱氢酶(LDH),流式细胞术分别检测细胞凋亡率和胞内活性氧簇（ROS）,黄嘌呤氧化酶法测定超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性,硫代巴比妥酸法测定丙二醛（MDA）含量,Western blotting法检测Bcl-2促凋亡基因(Bax)、B淋巴细胞瘤-2基因（Bcl-2）、剪切型Caspase-3（cleaved-Caspase-3）和HDAC3蛋白表达。 结果 与对照组相比,H/R组与H/R+抑制剂组细胞活力均显著降低（P<0.05）,细胞LDH（P<0.05）和凋亡率（P<0.05）均显著升高。H/R+抑制剂组与H/R组相比,H/R+抑制剂组细胞活力显著高于H/R组（P<0.05）,而H/R+抑制剂组细胞LDH（P<0.05）和凋亡率显著低于H/R组（P<0.05）。此外,与对照组相比,H/R组与H/R+抑制剂组ROS和MDA（P<0.05）均显著增加,SOD显著降低（P<0.05）;H/R+抑制剂组与H/R组相比,H/R+抑制剂组ROS和MDA（P<0.05）显著低于H/R组,而SOD水平高于H/R组（P<0.05）;Western blotting结果表明,与对照组相比,H/R组与H/R+抑制剂组Bax、cleaved-Caspase-3均显著升高,Bcl-2显著降低（P<0.05）,H/R+抑制剂组Bax、cleaved-Caspase-3均显著低于H/R组,Bcl-2显著高于H/R组（P<0.05）;与对照组相比,H/R组HDAC3蛋白表达显著升高（P<0.05）,而H/R+抑制剂组HDAC3蛋白显著降低（P<0.05）。 结论 HDAC3I通过减轻氧化应激降低缺氧/复氧引起的PC12细胞凋亡。