Valproic Acid Inihibts Histone Deacetylases and Proliferation and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma.
Authors: Kaiser Martin , Heider Ulrike , Zavrski Ivana , Sterz Jan , Possinger Kurt , Sezer Orhan 
Published: April 2020

Multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease in the majority of the patients and novel treatment strategies are urgently needed. A new class of drugs, the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors take influence in epigenetic modifications and have antiproliferative effects in some malignancies. Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant drug and was recently shown to inhibit HDACs and suppress tumor growth. The drug is currently being evaluated in clinical studies in acute myeloid leukemia. Its effects on myeloma cells are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of VPA on proliferation, apoptosis and HDAC inhibition in multiple myeloma cell lines as well as in sorted human bone marrow multiple myeloma cells. Myeloma cell lines, OPM-2, NCI-H929, LP-1, and freshly isolated multiple myeloma cells from bone marrow aspirates were exposed to different concentrations of VPA for 4 to 72 hours. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were assayed in reaction to the treatment. Proliferation decreased noticeably and apoptosis was induced in a dose-dependent manner in multiple myeloma cell lines as well as in freshly sorted primary myeloma cells. After 48 hours of incubation with VPA at 1 mM, approximately 46%, 52% and 25% of OPM-2, NCI-H929 and LP-1 cell lines had undergone specific apoptosis, respectively. Freshly sorted primary bone marrow myeloma cells from patients showed also specific apoptosis. In cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry, the population of cells in the G0/G1 phase increased, whereas cells in the S phase decreased in a time and dose dependent manner. Incubation of the cell line OPM-2, for example, with 1 mM VPA for 48 hours decreased the proportion of cells in the S phase from 39 % to 6 % of the total cell count and increased cells in the G0/G1 phase from 49 % to 85 %. Acetylation of histones and expression of cyclin D1 and the cell cycle regulators p21 and p27 were studied by western blot. Histone acetylation and p21 concentrations increased after VPA treatment whereas levels of p27 remained constant. A decrease in cyclin D1 concentrations was observed. Subapoptotic doses of VPA significantly decreased the production of VEGF in OPM-2 cell line. These data show that treatment with valproic acid effectively inhibits histone deacetylase activity, leading to the accumulation of acetylated histones in multiple myeloma cells. Parallel upregulation of cell cycle inhibitors like p21WAF1 was observed, together with a reduction of cyclin D1 levels. Myeloma cell proliferation was inhibited in a time and dose dependent manner and cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase was induced by VPA treatment. VPA potently induced apoptosis in all human myeloma cell lines as well as in sorted primary multiple myeloma cells in a dose and time dependent manner. These results show for the first time that VPA acts as an HDAC inhibitor in multiple myeloma cells, induces G1 cell cycle arrest, potently inhibits tumor growth and markedly induces apoptosis. In addition to its direct antitumor effect, valproic acid may exert an antiangiogenic effect by reducing VEGF production in myeloma cells. These data provide the framework for clinical studies with valproic acid in multiple myeloma.