Proteome analyses of the growth inhibitory effects of NCH-51, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, on lymphoid malignant cells

Recent reports showing successful inhibition of cancer and leukemia cell growth using histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) compounds have highlighted the potential use of HDACi as anti-cancer agents. However, high incidence of toxicity and low stability in vivo were observed with hydroxamic acid-based HDACi such as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), thus limiting its clinical applicability. In this study, we found that a novel non-hydroxamate HDACi NCH-51 could inhibit the cell growth of a variety of lymphoid malignant cells through apoptosis induction, more effectively than SAHA. Activation of caspase-3,-8 and-9, but not-7 was detected after the treatment with NCH-51. Gene expression profiles showed that NCH-51 and SAHA similarly upregulated p21 and downregulated anti-apoptotic molecules including survivin, bcl-w and c-FLIP. Proteome analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that NCH-51 upregulated anti-oxidant molecules including peroxiredoxin 1 and 2 and glutathione S-transferase at the protein level. Interestingly, NCH-51 induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) after 8 h whereas SAHA continuously declined ROS. Pretreatment with an antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, abolished the cytotoxicity of NCH-51. These findings suggest that NCH-51 exhibits cytotoxicity by sustaining ROS at the higher level greater than SAHA. This study indicates the therapeutic efficacy of NCH-51 and novel insights for anti-HDAC therapy.