Cancer cells become susceptible to natural killer cell killing after exposure to histone deacetylase inhibitors due to glycogen synthase kinase-3-dependent expression of MHC class I-related chain A and B

Cancer Res. 2005 Dec 1;65(23):11136-45. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-0599.

Abstract

We show that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors lead to functional expression of MHC class I-related chain A and B (MICA/B) on cancer cells, making them potent targets for natural killer (NK) cell-mediated killing through a NK group 2, member D (NKG2D) restricted mechanism. Blocking either apoptosis or oxidative stress caused by HDAC inhibitor treatment did not affect MICA/B expression, suggesting involvement of a separate signal pathway not directly coupled to induction of cell death. HDAC inhibitor treatment induced glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) activity and down-regulation of GSK-3 by small interfering RNA or by different inhibitors showed that GSK-3 activity is essential for the induced MICA/B expression. We thus present evidence that cancer cells which survive the direct induction of cell death by HDAC inhibitors become targets for NKG2D-expressing cells like NK cells, gammadelta T cells, and CD8 T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Depsipeptides / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / immunology
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / biosynthesis*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors*
  • Histone Deacetylases / immunology
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Neoplasms / immunology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / enzymology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Depsipeptides
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • MHC class I-related chain A
  • MICB antigen
  • romidepsin
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Histone Deacetylases