RNAi screening with shRNAs against histone methylation-related genes reveals determinants of sorafenib sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
Sorafenib is the first drug currently approved to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, very low response rate and acquired drug resistance makes rare patients benefit from sorafenib therapy, therefore it is urgent to find biomarkers for sorafenib sensitivity. Histone modifications, including histone methylation, have been demonstrated to influence the initiation and progression of HCC. It is of great interest to elicit the possibility whether histone methylation plays a role in regulation of sorafenib sensitivity. In present work, a high throughput RNAi screening with 176 shRNA pools against 88 histone methyltransferases (HMTs) and histone demethyltransferases genes was applied to HepG2 cells. Silencing of 3 genes (ASH1L, C17ORF49 and SETD4) was validated to specifically promote HepG2 cells sensitivity to sorafenib. Western blotting results showed that those 3 HMT genes knockdown alone or sorafenib treatments alone both induce AKT/ERK activation. However, combination treatment with sorafenib and silencing of C17ORF49 or SETD4 downregulated AKT phosphorylation and hence induced HCC cells death. Our work may provide potential biomarkers for sorafenib sensitivity and therapeutic combination for sorafenib treatment in HCC patients.
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200092, China.
Guang-Ming
GM
Li
Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Changning Central Hospital Shanghai 200336, China.
Yu-Gang
YG
Wang
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200092, China.
Qin
Q
Pan
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200092, China.
Jun
J
Wang
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200092, China.
Jian-Gao
JG
Fan
Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine Shanghai 200092, China.
Chao
C
Sun
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D057166:High-Throughput Screening Assays; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077157:Sorafenib
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006657:Histones; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib
AKT; ASH1L; C17ORF49; Hepatocellular carcinoma; SETD4; histone methylation; sorafenib