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HDAC Inhibitor-Induced Mitotic Arrest Is Mediated by Eg5/KIF11 Acetylation

Dhanusha A Nalawansha1, Inosha D Gomes1, Magdalene K Wambua1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.

Cell Chemical Biology
|April 11, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) regulates cell processes and cancer. This study identifies Eg5 (KIF11) as an HDAC1 substrate, revealing a new mechanism for HDAC inhibitor action in cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) is an epigenetic enzyme regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, and survival.
  • Aberrant HDAC1 expression is linked to various diseases, notably cancer, leading to the development of HDAC inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs.
  • While HDAC inhibitor-induced G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest is understood via histone acetylation, the G2/M arrest mechanism remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism behind HDAC inhibitor-induced G2/M cell-cycle arrest.
  • To identify novel substrates of HDAC1 involved in mitotic progression.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a trapping mutant strategy to identify HDAC1 substrates.
  • Performed co-localization studies of HDAC1 and Eg5 during mitosis.
  • Assessed the impact of HDAC1 on Eg5 ATPase activity.
  • Investigated the effects of an HDAC1/HDAC2-selective inhibitor on cell cycle progression and spindle formation.

Main Results:

  • Identified mitosis-related protein Eg5 (KIF11) as a novel substrate of HDAC1.
  • Demonstrated that HDAC1 colocalizes with Eg5 during mitosis and modulates its ATPase activity.
  • Observed that an HDAC1/HDAC2-selective inhibitor induces mitotic arrest and monopolar spindle formation, indicating Eg5 deacetylation by HDAC1 is crucial for mitosis.
  • These findings suggest Eg5 acetylation is a key mechanism in HDAC inhibitor-mediated G2/M arrest.

Conclusions:

  • Revealed a previously unrecognized role for HDAC1 in regulating mitotic progression through deacetylation of Eg5 (KIF11).
  • Established a mechanistic link between Eg5 acetylation and HDAC inhibitor-induced G2/M arrest, offering new insights into cancer therapy.
  • Provides a compelling hypothesis for the action of HDAC inhibitors in cancer treatment.

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