RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor is a Target of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin and Enhances its Anticancer Activity in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells
JF Molecular Pharmacology
JO Mol Pharmacol
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP mol.112.081646
DO 10.1124/mol.112.081646
A1 Po-Hung Chen
A1 Jinghua Tsai Chang
A1 Lih-Ann Li
A1 Hui-Ti Tsai
A1 Mei-Ya Shen
A1 Pin-Pin Lin
YR 2012
UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2012/12/10/mol.112.081646.abstract
AB We have demonstrated that aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma (AD). AhR is usually associated with heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in the cytoplasm. 17-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), an Hsp90 inhibitor, is currently under evaluation for its anticancer activity in clinical trials. Here, we investigated whether AhR plays a role in 17-AAG-mediated anticancer activity by functioning as a downstream target or by modulating its anticancer efficacy. AhR expression in lung AD cells was modulated by siRNA interference or overexpression. Tumor growth was determined with colony formation in vitro or in vivo. Anticancer activity of 17-AAG was determined by measuring cell viability, cell cycle distribution and expression of cell cycle regulators. Proteins and mRNA levels were examined by immunoblotting and the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. In this study, AhR overexpression positively modulated growth of lung AD cells, at least partially, via RelA-dependent mechanisms. Although treatment with 17-AAG reduced AhR levels and AhR-regulated gene expression in lung AD cells, AhR expression increased anticancer activity of 17-AAG. In addition, 17-AAG treatment reduced cell viability, CDK2, CDK4, cyclin E, cyclin D1 and phosphorylated Rb levels in AhR-expressing lung AD cells. NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), which is regulated by AhR, was shown to increase anticancer activity of 17-AAG in cells. Knockdown of NQO1 expression attenuated the reduction of cell cycle regulators by 17-AAG treatment in AhR overexpressed cells. We demonstrated that AhR protein not only functions as a downstream target of 17-AAG, but also enhances anticancer activity of 17-AAG in lung AD cells.