Inhibition of Hsp90 via 17-DMAG induces apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner to prevent medulloblastoma

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Oct 6;106(40):17037-42. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0902880106. Epub 2009 Sep 23.

Abstract

Elevated expression of HSP90 is observed in many tumor types and is associated with a limited clinical response. Targeting HSP90 using inhibitors such as 17-DMAG (17-desmethoxy-17-N,N-dimethylaminoethylaminogeldanamycin) has shown limited therapeutic success. HSP90 regulates the function of several proteins implicated in tumorigenesis although the precise mechanism through which 17-DMAG regulates tumor cell survival remains unclear. We observed a requirement for p53 in mediating 17-DMAG-induced cell death. The sensitivity of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and tumor cells to 17-DMAG-induced apoptosis depended on the p53 status. Wild-type MEFs underwent 17-DMAG-induced caspase-dependent cell death, whilst those lacking p53 failed to do so. Interestingly p53-dependent cell death occurred independently of Atm or Arf. Primary tumor cells derived from two models of murine medulloblastoma (Ptch1(+/-);Ink4c(-/-) and p53(FL/FL);Nestin-Cre(+); Ink4c(-/-)) that retain and lack p53 function, respectively, displayed a dependence on functional p53 to engage 17-DMAG-induced apoptosis. Strikingly, 17-DMAG treatment in an allograft model of Ptch1(+/-);Ink4c(-/-) but not p53(FL/FL);Nestin-Cre(+); Ink4c(-/-) tumor cells prevented tumor growth in vivo. Our data suggest that p53 status is a likely predictor of the sensitivity of tumors to 17-DMAG.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins
  • Benzoquinones / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p18 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p18 / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lactams, Macrocyclic / pharmacology*
  • Medulloblastoma / genetics
  • Medulloblastoma / pathology
  • Medulloblastoma / prevention & control*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / prevention & control
  • Patched Receptors
  • Patched-1 Receptor
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Benzoquinones
  • Cdkn2c protein, mouse
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p18
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Lactams, Macrocyclic
  • PTCH1 protein, human
  • PUMA protein, mouse
  • Patched Receptors
  • Patched-1 Receptor
  • Ptch1 protein, mouse
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • 17-(dimethylaminoethylamino)-17-demethoxygeldanamycin
  • ATM protein, human
  • Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins
  • Atm protein, mouse
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases