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  2. SAHA/5-AZA Enhances Acetylation and Degradation of mutp53, Upregulates p21 and Downregulates c-Myc and BRCA-1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

SAHA/5-AZA Enhances Acetylation and Degradation of mutp53, Upregulates p21 and Downregulates c-Myc and BRCA-1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jun 27;25(13):7020. doi: 10.3390/ijms25137020.
Michele Di Crosta 1 Francesca Chiara Ragone 1 Rossella Benedetti 1 Gabriella D'Orazi 2 3 Maria Saveria Gilardini Montani 1 Mara Cirone 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
  • 2 Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University "G. D'Annunzio" Chieti, 66100 Pescara, Italy.
  • 3 Department of Research and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy.
Abstract

Epigenetic changes are common in Cancer and include aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, including both acetylation or methylation. DNA methylation in the promoter regions and histone deacetylation are usually accompanied by gene silencing, and may lead to the suppression of tumor suppressors in Cancer cells. An interaction between epigenetic pathways has been reported that could be exploited to more efficiently target aggressive Cancer cells, particularly those against which current treatments usually fail, such as pancreatic Cancer. In this study, we explored the possibility to combine the DNA demethylating agent 5-AZA with HDAC Inhibitor SAHA to treat pancreatic Cancer cell lines, focusing on the acetylation of mutp53 and the consequences on its stability, as well as on the interaction of this protein with c-Myc and BRCA-1, key molecules in Cancer survival. The results obtained suggest that SAHA/5-AZA combination was more effective than single treatments to promote the degradation of mutp53, to upregulate p21 and downregulate c-Myc and BRCA-1, thus increasing DNA damage and cytotoxicity in pancreatic Cancer cells.

Keywords

DNA damage; acetylation; c-Myc; methylation; mutp53; pancreatic cancer.

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