title: Apoptotic and autophagic cell death induced by histone deacetylase inhibitors.
abstract: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors can induce programmed cell death in cancer cells, although the underlying mechanism is obscure. In this study, we show that two distinct HDAC inhibitors, butyrate and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), induced caspase-3 activation and cell death in multiple human cancer cell lines. The activation of caspase-3 was via the mitochondria/cytochrome c-mediated apoptotic pathway because it was abrogated in mouse embryonic fibroblasts with knockout of Apaf-1, the essential mediator of the pathway. Overexpression of Bcl-XL in HeLa cells also blocked caspase activation by the HDAC inhibitors. Nevertheless, Apaf-1 knockout, overexpression of Bcl-XL, and pharmacological inhibition of caspase activity did not prevent SAHA and butyrate-induced cell death. The cells undergoing such caspase-independent death had unambiguous morphological features of autophagic cell death. Therefore, HDAC inhibitors can induce both mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and caspase-independent autophagic cell death. Induction of autophagic cell death by HDAC inhibitors has clear clinical implications in treating cancers with apoptotic defects.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D001343:Autophagy; D002087:Butyrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions; D013997:Time Factors; D000077337:Vorinostat; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C506592:APAF1 protein, human; C506593:Apaf1 protein, mouse; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D002087:Butyrates; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D011506:Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D000077337:Vorinostat; D045304:Cytochromes c; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D006655:Histone Deacetylases