Inhibition of HDAC7 reverses CNT2 repression in colorectal cancer by up-regulating histone acetylation state.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The concentrative nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) mediates the uptake of both natural nucleosides and nucleoside-derived drugs. Therefore, it is important both physiologically and pharmacologically. However, CNT2 expression is significantly repressed in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we have elucidated the mechanism(s) underlying CNT2 repression in CRC. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Repression of CNT2 in tumour samples from patients with CRC was identified using Western blot and RT-qPCR. The histone acetylation state at the CNT2 promoter region was then evaluated with chromatin immunoprecipitation and trichostatin A (TSA) treatment. To find the key enzyme responsible for hypoacetylation at the CNT2 promoter region, siRNA knockdown and RT-qPCR were used. Effects of combining HDAC inhibitors and cladribine were studied in HCT15 and HT29 cells. KEY RESULTS Histone deacetylase 7 was significantly up-regulated in CRC, leading to histone hypoacetylation at the CNT2 promoter region, especially at sites H3K9Ac, H3K18Ac and H4Ac. This hypoacetylation condensed the chromatin structure and reduced CNT2 expression. All these effects were reversed by treatment with TSA, a histone deacetylase inhibitor. In HCT15 and HT29 cells, inhibition of histone deacetylase increased cell uptake and decreased IC50 for cladribine. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Histone hypoacetylation due to increased levels of histone deacetylase 7 results in CNT2 repression in CRC tumour tissue and could lead to decreased uptake of and consequent resistance to nucleoside anti-cancer agents. Such resistance could be overcome by combining inhibitors of histone deacetylase with the nucleoside anti-cancer agent.