title: Synergistic inhibition of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell growth by trichostatin A and gemcitabine.
abstract: We investigated the ability of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) to interact with gemcitabine (GEM) in inducing pancreatic cancer cell death. The combined treatment with TSA and GEM synergistically inhibited growth of four pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines and induced apoptosis. This effect was associated with the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by GEM, increased expression of the pro-apoptotic BIM gene by both TSA and GEM and downregulation of the 5'-nucleotidase UMPH type II gene by TSA. The expression of other genes critical for GEM resistance (nucleoside transporters, deoxycytidine kinase, cytidine deaminase, and ribonucleotide reductase genes) was not affected by TSA. The functional role of ROS in cell growth inhibition by GEM was supported by (i) a significantly reduced GEM-associated growth inhibition by the free radical scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine, and (ii) a positive correlation between the basal level of ROS and sensitivity to GEM in 10 pancreatic cancer cell lines. The functional role of both Bim and 5'-nucleotidase UMPH type II in cell growth inhibition by TSA and GEM was assessed by RNA interference assays. In vivo studies on xenografts of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in nude mice showed that the association of TSA and GEM reduced to 50% the tumour mass and did not cause any apparent form of toxicity, while treatments with TSA or GEM alone were ineffective. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates a potent anti-tumour activity of TSA/GEM combination against pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, strongly supporting the use of GEM in combination with an HDAC inhibitor for pancreatic cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological and Biomedical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donadelli
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beghelli
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Scupoli
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dandrea
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonora
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budillon
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caraglia
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scarpa
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmieri
mesh_terms: D015720:5'-Nucleotidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C000606775:BCL2L11 protein, human; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; C000606776:Bcl2l11 protein, mouse; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006023:Glycoproteins; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D003841:Deoxycytidine; C012589:trichostatin A; D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; C412794:NT5C3A protein, human; D000093542:Gemcitabine