2. Academic Validation
  3. Droxinostat, a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines via Activation of the Mitochondrial Pathway and Downregulation of FLIP

Droxinostat, a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines via Activation of the Mitochondrial Pathway and Downregulation of FLIP

  • Transl Oncol. 2016 Feb;9(1):70-78. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2016.01.004.
Jing Liu 1,  Guangming Li 2,  Xiang Wang 2,  Liang Wang 2,  Rui Zhao 2,  Juanxia Wang 2,  Yin Kong 2,  Jie Ding 2,  Juan Li 2,  Lingyi Zhang 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Division of Liver Disease, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of XianYang City, XianYang, Shaanxi, China.
  • 2 Division of Liver Disease, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
  • 3 Division of Liver Disease, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 26947884 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2016.01.004
Abstract

Background: The current chemotherapeutic outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not encouraging, and long-term survival of this patient group remains poor. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of histone deacetylase inhibitors that can disrupt cell proliferation and survival in HCC management. However, the effects of droxinostat, a type of histone deacetylase inhibitor, on HCC remain to be established.

Methods: The effects of droxinostat on HCC cell lines SMMC-7721 and HepG2 were investigated. Histone acetylation and apoptosis-modulating proteins were assessed via Western blot. Proliferation was examined with 3-(4, 5 dimetyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl 2H-tetrazolium bromide, cell proliferation, and real-time cell viability assays, and Apoptosis with flow cytometry.

Results: Droxinostat inhibited proliferation and colony formation of the HCC cell lines examined. Hepatoma cell death was induced through activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and downregulation of FLIP expression. Droxinostat suppressed histone deacetylase (HDAC) 3 expression and promoted acetylation of histones H3 and H4. Knockdown of HDAC3 induced hepatoma cell Apoptosis and histone H3 and H4 acetylation.

Conclusions: Droxinostat suppresses HDAC3 expression and induces histone acetylation and HCC cell death through activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and downregulation of FLIP, supporting its potential application in the treatment of HCC.

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