Curbing autophagy and histone deacetylases to kill cancer cells Journal Article


Authors: Gammoh, N.; Marks, P. A.; Jiang, X.
Article Title: Curbing autophagy and histone deacetylases to kill cancer cells
Abstract: Cells respond to cytotoxicity by activating a variety of signal transduction pathways. One pathway frequently upregulated during cytotoxic response is macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy). Previously, we demonstrated that pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, such as the anticancer agent suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, Vorinostat), can induce autophagy. In this study, we show that HDAC inhibition triggers autophagy by suppressing MTOR and activating the autophagic kinase ULK1. Furthermore, autophagy inhibition can sensitize cells to both apoptotic and nonapoptotic cell death induced by SAHA, suggesting the therapeutic potential of autophagy targeting in combination with SAHA therapy. This study also raised a series of questions: What is the role of HDACs in regulating autophagy? Do individual HDACs have distinct functions in autophagy? How do HDACs regulate the nutrient-sensing kinase MTOR? Since SAHA-induced nonapoptotic cell death is not driven by autophagy, what then is the mechanism underlying the apoptosis-independent death? Tackling these questions should lead to a better understanding of autophagy and HDAC biology and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. © 2012 Landes Bioscience.
Keywords: signal transduction; unclassified drug; histone deacetylase inhibitor; neoplasms; animals; cell death; apoptosis; models, biological; rna interference; enzyme activity; caspase inhibitor; cell line, tumor; cancer inhibition; cancer cell; mammalian target of rapamycin; vorinostat; histone deacetylase inhibitors; hydroxamic acids; autophagy; histone deacetylases; cell killing; mtor; histone deacetylase; ulk1; tor serine-threonine kinases; hdac inhibitors; saha; nonapoptotic cell death; zvad
Journal Title: Autophagy
Volume: 8
Issue: 10
ISSN: 1554-8627
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group  
Date Published: 2012-10-01
Start Page: 1521
End Page: 1522
Language: English
DOI: 10.4161/auto.21151
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 22894919
PMCID: PMC3973656
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 2 November 2012" - "Source: Scopus"
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MSK Authors
  1. Noor I Gammoh
    8 Gammoh
  2. Xuejun Jiang
    121 Jiang
  3. Paul Marks
    186 Marks
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