Ercan Cacan1. 1. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey ercan.cacan@gop.edu.tr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Loss of FAS expression in ovarian cancer cells has recently been associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the mechanism for suppression of FAS expression is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cell surface and transcript expressions of death receptors in parental chemosensitive (A2780) and their derivative chemoresistant (A2780-AD) ovarian cancer cells were determined by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The epigenetic regulation of FAS promoters in both A2780 and A2780-AD ovarian epithelial cells were determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that expression of FAS is suppressed in A2780-AD cells compared to parental A2780 ovarian cells. No difference in DNA methylation was observed at FAS promoters between A2780-AD cells compared to parental cells. However, the level of acetylated histone H3 associated with FAS promoter in A2780-AD cells was significantly lower compared to parental cells, and there was a corresponding increase in histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) enzyme associated with the FAS promoter in resistant cells. Knockdown of HDAC1 expression, and pharmacological inhibition of HDAC enzymatic activity significantly increased FAS expression in resistant A2780-AD cells. These results suggest that epigenetic changes in histone modifications may contribute to the loss of FAS expression in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells and that enhancement of FAS expression could increase tumor cell sensitivity to immune cells. Copyright
BACKGROUND: Loss of FAS expression in ovarian cancer cells has recently been associated with resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the mechanism for suppression of FAS expression is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cell surface and transcript expressions of death receptors in parental chemosensitive (A2780) and their derivative chemoresistant (A2780-AD) ovarian cancer cells were determined by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The epigenetic regulation of FAS promoters in both A2780 and A2780-AD ovarian epithelial cells were determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that expression of FAS is suppressed in A2780-AD cells compared to parental A2780 ovarian cells. No difference in DNA methylation was observed at FAS promoters between A2780-AD cells compared to parental cells. However, the level of acetylated histone H3 associated with FAS promoter in A2780-AD cells was significantly lower compared to parental cells, and there was a corresponding increase in histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) enzyme associated with the FAS promoter in resistant cells. Knockdown of HDAC1 expression, and pharmacological inhibition of HDAC enzymatic activity significantly increased FAS expression in resistant A2780-AD cells. These results suggest that epigenetic changes in histone modifications may contribute to the loss of FAS expression in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells and that enhancement of FAS expression could increase tumor cell sensitivity to immune cells. Copyright