Abstract 4086: Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) as a new target modulating the proliferation and immune-related pathways in melanoma
Authors: Perez-Villarroel Patricio , Lienlaf Maritza , Lee Calvin , Cheng Fengdong , Woods David , Barrios Kelly , Woan Karrune , Canales Jorge , Knox Tessa , Marante Danay , Wang Hongwei , Horna Pedro , Smalley Keiran , Celis Esteban , Seto Ed , Weber Jeffrey S. , Sotomayor Eduardo M. , Villagra Alejandro 
Published: May 2015

Histone deacetylases (HDACs), originally described as histone modifiers, have more recently been demonstrated to modify a variety of other proteins involved in diverse cellular processes unrelated to the chromatin environment. This includes the deacetylation of multiple non-histone targets, such as proteins involved in cell cycle/apoptosis and immune regulation. Specifically, HDACs have garnered significant interest due to the availability of drugs that selectively inhibits HDACs. We recently identified that the pharmacological or genetic abrogation of a single HDAC, HDAC6, modifies the immunogenicity and proliferation of melanoma in both in vitro and in vivo models.

Using specific HDAC6 inhibitors (HDAC6i) we observed decreased proliferation and G1 cell cycle arrest in all melanoma cell lines measured by MTS assay and flow cytometry. These results were also observed in stable HDAC6 knockdown melanoma cell lines (HDAC6KD) generated by specific lentiviral shRNA for HDAC6. In addition to the effects observed in proliferation and apoptosis after inhibiting HDAC6, we found important changes in the expression of immune-related pathways, including increased expression of MHC, co-stimulatory molecules, and specific melanoma tumor associated antigens such as gp100, MART-1, Tyrp1 and Tyrp2.

Our in vitro results were further supported by in vivo tumor growth studies. We observed a delayed tumor growth of inoculated B16 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice treated with selective HDAC6i. A similar outcome was identified after inoculation of HDAC6KD B16 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice. Such an effect was reverted partially in CD4+ and CD8+ depleted C57BL/6 mice challenged with HDAC6KD cells, suggesting that the disruption of HDAC6 enhances immune system recognition of melanoma cells. This delay in tumor growth could be a reflection of their diminished proliferation and an increase in their immunogenicity leading to improved immune recognition and clearance. These studies provide critical insights into the molecular pathways that are involved in the regulatory role of HDAC6 in cell proliferation, survival, and cytokine signaling of human melanoma cells. Collectively, our data has identified HDAC6 as an attractive therapeutic target in melanoma.

Citation Format: Patricio Perez-Villarroel, Maritza Lienlaf, Calvin Lee, Fengdong Cheng, David Woods, Kelly Barrios, Karrune Woan, Jorge Canales, Tessa Knox, Danay Marante, Hongwei Wang, Pedro Horna, Keiran Smalley, Esteban Celis, Ed Seto, Jeffrey S. Weber, Eduardo M. Sotomayor, Alejandro Villagra. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) as a new target modulating the proliferation and immune-related pathways in melanoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4086. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4086