HDAC6-mediated EGFR stabilization and activation restrict cell response to sorafenib in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Sorafenib is a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor and has been the subject of extensive clinical research in advanced non-small cell lung Cancer (NSCLC). However, sorafenib fails to improve overall survival of patients with advanced NSCLC. The molecular mechanisms that account for this phenomenon are unclear. Here we show that sorafenib treatment stabilizes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and activates EGFR pathway. Moreover, this is partly mediated by stabilization of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), which has been shown to regulate EGFR endocytic trafficking and degradation. Overexpression of HDAC6 confers resistance to sorafenib in NSCLC cells. Inhibition of HDAC6 with selective inhibitors synergizes with sorafenib to kill NSCLC cells via inhibition of sorafenib-mediated EGFR pathway activation. Taken together, our findings might partly explain the failure of Phase III trial of sorafenib in improving overall survival of advanced NSCLC patients and bear possible implications for the improvement on the efficacy of sorafenib in treatment of NSCLC.