Medical College of Wisconsin
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Combination therapy with histone deacetylase inhibitors and lithium chloride: a novel treatment for carcinoid tumors. Ann Surg Oncol 2009 Feb;16(2):481-6

Date

11/26/2008

Pubmed ID

19030935

Pubmed Central ID

PMC2740795

DOI

10.1245/s10434-008-0194-6

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-59449093521 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   32 Citations

Abstract

In carcinoid cell lines, the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors valproic acid (VPA) and suberoyl bis-hydroxamic acid (SBHA) activate the Notch1 pathway, whereas lithium inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta). These compounds limit growth and decrease hormonal secretion in vitro. We hypothesized that lower-dose combination therapy of HDAC inhibitors and lithium chloride could achieve similar growth inhibition to that of the drugs alone. Gastrointestinal and pulmonary carcinoid cells were treated with either VPA or SBHA and lithium chloride for up to 48 hours. Western blot analysis was used to measure the effects on the Notch1 and GSK-3beta pathways and the neuroendocrine tumor marker chromogranin A (CgA). Growth was measured by a cellular proliferation assay. With lower-dose combination therapy, a decrease in CgA was observed. The HDAC inhibitors increased the amount of active Notch1 protein, whereas treatment with lithium was associated with inhibition of GSK-3beta. Moreover, growth was inhibited with lower-dose combination therapy. Treatment of carcinoid cells with either VPA or SBHA and lithium chloride suppresses the neuroendocrine marker CgA while upregulating Notch1 and inhibiting GSK-3beta. This combination effectively reduces growth. Thus, lower-dose combination therapy may be a viable therapeutic approach for carcinoid tumors.

Author List

Adler JT, Hottinger DG, Kunnimalaiyaan M, Chen H



MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adjuvants, Immunologic
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Blotting, Western
Carcinoid Tumor
Cell Cycle
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Proliferation
Chromogranin A
Enzyme Inhibitors
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
Histone Deacetylases
Humans
Hydroxamic Acids
Immunoglobulin J Recombination Signal Sequence-Binding Protein
Lithium Chloride
Luciferases
Lung Neoplasms
Receptor, Notch1
Valproic Acid