ABSTRACT
While the apoptosis-inducing ligand Apo2L/TRAIL is a promising new agent for the treatment of cancer, the sensitivity of cancer cells for induction of apoptosis by Apo2L/TRAIL varies considerably. Identification of agents that can be used in combination with Apo2L/TRAIL to enhance apoptosis in breast cancer cells would increase the potential utility of this agent as a breast cancer therapeutic. Here, we show that the histone deacetylase inhibitor, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), can sensitize Apo2L/TRAIL-resistant breast cancer cells to Apo2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Importantly, neither Apo2L/TRAIL alone, nor in combination with SAHA, affected the viability of normal human cells in culture. Apo2L/TRAIL-resistant MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, generated by long-term culture in the continuous presence of Apo2L/TRAIL, were resensitized to Apo2L/TRAIL-induced apoptosis by SAHA. The sensitization of these cells by SAHA was accompanied by activation of caspase 8, caspase 9 and caspase 3 and was concomitant with Bid and PARP cleavage. The expression of the proapoptotic protein, Bax, increased significantly with SAHA treatment and high levels of Bax were maintained in the combined treatment with Apo2L/TRAIL. Treatment with SAHA increased cell surface expression of DR5 but not DR4. Interestingly, SAHA treatment also resulted in a significant increase in cell surface expression of DcR1. Taken together, our findings indicate that the use of these 2 agents in combination may be effective for the treatment of breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/pharmacology , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors , Hydroxamic Acids/pharmacology , Membrane Glycoproteins/pharmacology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology , Apoptosis/drug effects , Caspases/metabolism , Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Histone Deacetylases/metabolism , Humans , Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism , TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand , VorinostatABSTRACT
We and others have recently defined that Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31) functions as a negative regulator of platelet-collagen interactions involving the glycoprotein VI/Fc receptor gamma chain (GPVI/FcR-gamma chain) signaling pathway.1,2 In this study, we hypothesized that PECAM-1 may be physically and functionally associated with Fc gamma RIIa on the platelet membrane. The functional relationship between PECAM-1 and Fc gamma RIIa was assessed by determining the effect of anti-PECAM-1 monoclonal antibody Fab fragments on Fc gamma RIIa-mediated platelet aggregation and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HITS)-mediated platelet aggregation. Preincubation of washed platelets with monoclonal antibody fragments of 2BD4 directed against PECAM-1 and IV.3 directed against Fc gamma RIIa completely blocked Fc gamma RIIa-mediated platelet aggregation and HITS-mediated platelet aggregation, whereas anti-CD151 antibody had no blocking effect. Coengagement of Fc gamma RIIa and PECAM-1 resulted in negative regulation of Fc gamma RIIa-mediated phospholipase C gamma 2 activation, calcium mobilization, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent signaling pathways. In addition, the physical proximity of Fc gamma RIIa and PECAM-1 was confirmed by using fluorescence resonance energy transfer and coimmunoprecipitation studies. These results indicate that PECAM-1 and Fc gamma RIIa are colocalized on the platelet membrane and PECAM-1 down-regulates Fc gamma RIIa-mediated platelet responses.
