title: Combined histone deacetylase inhibition and tamoxifen induces apoptosis in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer models, by reversing Bcl-2 overexpression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The emergence of hormone therapy resistance, despite continued expression of the estrogen receptor (ER), is a major challenge to curing breast cancer. Recent clinical studies suggest that epigenetic modulation by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors reverses hormone therapy resistance. However, little is known about epigenetic modulation of the ER during acquired hormone resistance. Our recent phase II study demonstrated that HDAC inhibitors re-sensitize hormone therapy-resistant tumors to the anti-estrogen tamoxifen. In this study, we sought to understand the mechanism behind the efficacy of this combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  We generated cell lines resistant to tamoxifen, named TAMRM and TAMRT, by continuous exposure of ER-positive MCF7 and T47D cells, respectively to 4-hydroxy tamoxifen for over 12 months. HDAC inhibition, along with pharmacological and genetic manipulation of key survival pathways, including ER and Bcl-2, were used to characterize these resistant models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TAMRM cells displayed decreased sensitivity to tamoxifen, fulvestrant and estrogen deprivation. Consistent with previous models, ER expression was retained and the gene harbored no mutations. Compared to parental MCF7 cells, ER expression in TAMRM was elevated, while progesterone receptor (PGR) was lost. Sensitivity of ER to ligands was greatly reduced and classic ER response genes were suppressed. This model conveyed tamoxifen resistance through transcriptional upregulation of Bcl-2 and c-Myc, and downregulation of the cell cycle checkpoint protein p21, manifesting in accelerated growth and reduced cell death. Similar to TAMRM cells, the TAMRT cell line exhibited substantially decreased tamoxifen sensitivity, increased ER and Bcl-2 expression and significantly reduced PGR expression. Treatment with HDAC inhibitors reversed the altered transcriptional events and reestablished the sensitivity of the ER to tamoxifen resulting in substantial Bcl-2 downregulation, growth arrest and apoptosis. Selective inhibition of Bcl-2 mirrored these effects in presence of an HDAC inhibitor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our model implicates elevated ER and Bcl-2 as key drivers of anti-estrogen resistance, which can be reversed by epigenetic modulation through HDAC inhibition.
authors.forename: Paromita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raha
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: K Ted
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Thurn
authors.forename: Jeenah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Pamela N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Munster
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D011485:Protein Binding; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D059467:Transcriptome; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D008024:Ligands; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; C016601:afimoxifene; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol; D006655:Histone Deacetylases; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
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