Functional cooperation of miR-125a, miR-125b, and miR-205 in entinostat-induced downregulation of erbB2/erbB3 and apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Cell Death Dis. 2013 Mar 21;4(3):e556. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.79.

Abstract

We reported that the class I HDAC inhibitor entinostat induced apoptosis in erbB2-overexpressing breast cancer cells via downregulation of erbB2 and erbB3. Here, we study the molecular mechanism by which entinostat dual-targets erbB2/erbB3. Treatment with entinostat had no effect on erbB2/erbB3 mRNA, suggesting a transcription-independent mechanism. Entinostat decreased endogenous but not exogenous erbB2/erbB3, indicating it did not alter their protein stability. We hypothesized that entinostat might inhibit erbB2/erbB3 protein translation via specific miRNAs. Indeed, entinostat significantly upregulated miR-125a, miR-125b, and miR-205, that have been reported to target erbB2 and/or erbB3. Specific inhibitors were then used to determine whether these miRNAs had a causal role in entinostat-induced downregulation of erbB2/erbB3 and apoptosis. Transfection with a single inhibitor dramatically abrogated entinostat induction of miR-125a, miR-125b, or miR-205; however, none of the inhibitors blocked entinostat action on erbB2/erbB3. In contrast, co-transfection with two inhibitors not only reduced their corresponding miRNAs, but also significantly abrogated entinostat-mediated reduction of erbB2/erbB3. Moreover, simultaneous inhibition of two, but not one miRNA significantly attenuated entinostat-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, although the other HDAC inhibitors, such as SAHA and panobinostat, exhibited activity as potent as entinostat to induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in erbB2-overexpressing breast cancer cells, they had no significant effects on the three miRNAs. Instead, both SAHA- and panobinostat-decreased erbB2/erbB3 expression correlated with the reduction of their mRNA levels. Collectively, we demonstrate that entinostat specifically induces expression of miR-125a, miR-125b, and miR-205, which act in concert to downregulate erbB2/erbB3 in breast cancer cells. Our data suggest that epigenetic regulation via miRNA-dependent or -independent mechanisms may represent a novel approach to treat breast cancer patients with erbB2-overexpressing tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Benzamides / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxamic Acids / pharmacology
  • Indoles / pharmacology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Panobinostat
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / genetics*
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • Hydroxamic Acids
  • Indoles
  • MIRN125 microRNA, human
  • MIRN205 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Pyridines
  • entinostat
  • Panobinostat
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • ERBB3 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Receptor, ErbB-3