Combination of HDAC inhibitors and Azacytidine for Cancer Cell Selective Targeting of Esophageal Cancer Cells

ABSTRACT: Esophageal cancers (ECs) are highly aggressive tumors with poor prognosis and few treatment options. This study investigated the possibility of treating esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) cells by inhibitors of broad and specific histone deacetylases (HDACi; SAHA, MS-275, FK228) and/or of DNMT (Azacytidine, AZA). Drug targets (HDAC1,2,3 and DNMT1) were present in non-neoplastic (HET-1A), ESCC (OE21) and EAC (OE33) cell lines. All cell lines responded to HDACi by reduced HDAC activity and increased histone acetylation as well as to AZA by up-regulation of p21. Expression of drug targets remained largely unaffected by HDACi and AZA treatment. Importantly, cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle dynamics and DNA damage were only affected by HDACi and/or AZA in ESCC and EAC, but not the non-neoplastic cells. This was specifically seen for the combination of MS-275 and AZA, leading to enhanced cancer cell selectivity and drug efficiency. By transcriptome analyses of MS-275, AZA and MS-275/AZA treated cells, known (e.g. p21) as well as novel regulated genes significantly associated with the cellular effects post HDACi and/or AZA treatment in ESCC and EAC cells were identified. Finally, human EC tissue specimens frequently expressed the actionable drug targets HDAC1/2/3 and DNMT1. In summary, a combined HDACi (MS-275)/AZA treatment is cancer cell selective and efficient in vitro. Since the majority of ECs express the drug targets in situ, this paves the way for further investigations of HDACi/AZA treatment in esophageal cancer cells and their translation into a clinico-pathological setting.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE57130 | GEO | 2015/04/29

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA245529

REPOSITORIES: GEO