Effects of histone deacetylase inhibitor FR901228 on expression level of telomerase reverse transcriptase in oral cancer

We speculated whether or not the expression level of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) would be modulated by agents targeting epigenetics in oral cancer cell lines. Although hTERT is known to be targeted by epigenetic changes, it remains unclear how chemoagents targeting epigenetics work on hTERT transcription. In the present study, the epigenetic effects of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor FR901228 on hTERT transcription were analysed by RT-PCR in oral cancer cell lines. The mRNA expression of hTERT was upregulated after exposure to FR901228 in hTERT-negative Hep2 cells, even in the hTERT highly expressed SAS and KB cells. Moreover, co-treatment of protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) resulted in the induction of hTERT transcription by FR901228. This suggests that the induction of hTERT by FR901228 requires de novo protein synthesis to some extent and is more likely a direct than an indirect effect on epigenetic changes such as histone acetylation / deacetylation. We further examined the effect of FR901228 on c-myc protein, which is one of the main hTERT transcription activators. FR901228 repressed c-myc protein only in the absence of CHX, dependent of the enhancement of de novo protein synthesis. Our results indicate that c-myc protein is repressed indirectly by FR901228 but may not contribute FR901228-induced hTERT transcription. The present study showed that the HDAC inhibitor FR901228 induced the hTERT gene by a complex mechanism that involved other transcription factors except for c-myc, in addition to the inhibition of histone deacetylation

Estrogen Induction of Telomerase Activity through Regulation of the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Dependent Pathway in Human Endometrial Cancer Cells

Given that prolonged exposure to estrogen and increased telomerase activity are associated with endometrial carcinogenesis, our objective was to evaluate the interaction between the MAPK pathway and estrogen induction of telomerase activity in endometrial cancer cells. Estradiol (E2) induced telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression in the estrogen receptor (ER)-α positive, Ishikawa endometrial cancer cell line. UO126, a highly selective inhibitor of MEK1/MEK2, inhibited telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression induced by E2. Similar results were also found after transfection with ERK 1/2-specific siRNA. Treatment with E2 resulted in rapid phosphorylation of p44/42 MAPK and increased MAPK activity which was abolished by UO126. The hTERT promoter contains two estrogen response elements (EREs), and luciferase assays demonstrate that these EREs are activated by E2. Exposure to UO126 or ERK 1/2-specific siRNA in combination with E2 counteracted the stimulatory effect of E2 on luciferase activity from these EREs. These findings suggest that E2-induction of telomerase activity is mediated via the MAPK pathway in human endometrial cancer cells