Decitabine rescues cisplatin resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Cisplatin resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) reduces survival. In this study we hypothesized that methylation of key genes mediates cisplatin resistance. We determined whether a demethylating drug, decitabine, could augment the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of cisplatin on SCC-25/CP, a cisplatin-resistant tongue SCC cell line. We showed that decitabine treatment restored cisplatin sensitivity in SCC-25/CP and significantly reduced the cisplatin dose required to induce apoptosis. We then created a xenograft model with SCC-25/CP and determined that decitabine and cisplatin combination treatment resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth and mechanical allodynia compared to control. To establish a gene classifier we quantified methylation in cancer tissue of cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant HNSCC patients. Cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant patient tumors had distinct methylation profiles. When we quantified methylation and expression of genes in the classifier in HNSCC cells in vitro, we showed that decitabine treatment of cisplatin-resistant HNSCC cells reversed methylation and gene expression toward a cisplatin-sensitive profile. The study provides direct evidence that decitabine restores cisplatin sensitivity in in vitro and in vivo models of HNSCC. Combination treatment of cisplatin and decitabine significantly reduces HNSCC growth and HNSCC pain. Furthermore, gene methylation could be used as a biomarker of cisplatin-resistance.
Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America; Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Chi T
CT
Viet
Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Dongmin
D
Dang
Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Stacy
S
Achdjian
Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Yi
Y
Ye
Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Samuel G
SG
Katz
Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America; Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America.
Brian L
BL
Schmidt
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000077209:Decitabine; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008875:Middle Aged; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D055815:Young Adult
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000077209:Decitabine; D001374:Azacitidine; D002945:Cisplatin