title: Valproic acid enhances the anti-tumor effect of pegylated interferon-α towards pancreatic cancer cell lines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Valproic acid (VPA) acts as a specific inhibitor of class I HDACs and it use has been proven to be safe since a long time.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we investigated the effect of VPA in the combination with pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFNα) in inhibition of cell proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell lines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VPA enhanced the effect of PEG-IFNα, and the effect was decreased by the caspase inhibitor. VPA alone and VPA in combination with PEG-IFNα increased the expression of interferon-α receptor and interferon regulatory factor 8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of VPA and PEG-IFNα can be useful for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Sugimoto
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan mshimada@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors: Mitsuo
authors: M
authors: Shimada
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Utsunomiya
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Morine
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Satoru
authors: S
authors: Imura
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Ikemoto
authors: Department of Surgery, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima, Kuramoto, Tokushima, Japan.
authors: Shuichi
authors: S
authors: Iwahashi
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004357:Drug Synergism; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000099185:Interferon Regulatory Factor-8
chemical_list: D020169:Caspases; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D053633:Receptor, Interferon alpha-beta; D014635:Valproic Acid; D000099185:Interferon Regulatory Factor-8; C507964:IFNAR1 protein, human
keywords: Histone deacetylase inhibitor; pancreatic cancer; pegylated interferon-α; valproic acid