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Pham TND, Stempel S, Shields MA, Spaulding C, Kumar K, Bentrem DJ, Matsangou M, Munshi HG. Quercetin Enhances the Anti-Tumor Effects of BET Inhibitors by Suppressing hnRNPA1. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4293. [PMID: 31480735 PMCID: PMC6747365 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins, which are important epigenetic readers, are often dysregulated in cancer. While a number of BET inhibitors are currently in early phase clinical trials, BET inhibitors show limited single-agent activity. The purpose of this study is to determine if Quercetin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic flavonoid often found abundant in fruits and vegetables, can enhance the anti-tumor effects of BET inhibitors. The efficacy of the combination was evaluated in vitro and in a xenograft model of pancreatic cancer. Co-treatment with BET inhibitors and Quercetin promoted apoptosis, decreased sphere-forming ability by cancer cells, and decreased cell proliferation. We found that hnRNPA1, a nuclear protein known to control mRNA export and mRNA translation of anti-apoptotic proteins, mediates some anti-tumor effects by Quercetin. Additionally, we show that combining BET inhibitors with Quercetin or hnRNPA1 knockdown decreased the anti-apoptotic protein Survivin. Significantly, Quercetin decreased hnRNPA1 in vivo and enhanced the effects of BET inhibitors at suppressing tumor growth. Together, these results demonstrate that Quercetin enhances the efficacy of BET inhibitors by suppressing hnRNPA1, and identify combination therapy with Quercetin and BET inhibitors for the treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thao N D Pham
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Sophie Stempel
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mario A Shields
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Christina Spaulding
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Krishan Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - David J Bentrem
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Maria Matsangou
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hidayatullah G Munshi
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
- The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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Hu X, Schewitz-Bowers LP, Lait PJP, Copland DA, Stimpson ML, Li JJ, Liu Y, Dick AD, Lee RWJ, Wei L. The Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal Protein Inhibitor OTX015 Suppresses T Helper Cell Proliferation and Differentiation. Curr Mol Med 2019; 18:594-601. [PMID: 30683020 DOI: 10.2174/1566524019666190126112238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic epigenetic alterations accompanying CD4+ T helper cell differentiation have been implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases. The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins are epigenetic regulators that recognize and bind to acetylated histones in chromatin and are targets for pharmacological inhibition. In this study we tested a new BET inhibitor under clinical development, OTX015, to interrogate its effects on key CD4+ T cell subsets associated with autoimmunity. METHODS Naïve and memory murine and human CD4+ T cells were isolated and differentiated into populations characterized by the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. Cultured cells were then exposed to varying concentrations of OTX015 in vitro, and its impact on cytokine expression was quantified by flow cytometry. In parallel, the expression of the transcription factors TBX21 and RORC was quantified by PCR. A previously studied BET inhibitor JQ1 was used as a pharmacological control. RESULTS OTX015 suppressed both murine and human CD4+ T cell proliferation. Its impact on cytokine expression varied in murine and human naïve and memory subsets. OTX015 was similarly effective as JQ1 in the suppression of cytokines and T helper cell proliferation. Higher concentrations of OTX015 also had a greater impact on the viability of murine versus human cells. IL-17 and IFN-γ expression was not altered in murine memory CD4+ T cells, whereas in human memory CD4+ T cells, OTX015 inhibited IL-17, but not IFN-γ. Across all human T cell subsets OTX015 suppressed IL-17 more effectively than IFN-γ. CONCLUSION Our studies demonstrate that OTX015 has anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing murine and human CD4+ T cell proliferation and subset-dependent proinflammatory cytokine expression, including the selective suppression of IL-17 in human memory CD4+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.,Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lauren P Schewitz-Bowers
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa J P Lait
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - David A Copland
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jing Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yizhi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Andrew D Dick
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard W J Lee
- Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510060, China
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